Stranded Beyond Hope
by DrakeTheTraveller
Summary: Destiny can be cruel. It can take your family, your life, your future, even your hope. But it can't take who you are. This is something Krystal will have to find out for herself as she is left stranded by the whims of fate. Taken from her home, the Cerinian princess will learn what it is to be hopeless. She will learn to survive in a world so unlike her own, or get buried in it.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hello readers, Drake here with a story I have been working on for quite a while. It is an odd concept, given to me by Wingcommander Whitewolf. Elder scrolls and Starfox...something I had never thought to throw together. Nonetheless, after the idea was suggested to me, I found it tantalizing, something that could truly be unique. Meh, perhaps I'm wrong, but perhaps I am not. Who knows? I suppose we'll just have to find out won't we? I might use this story as a vehicle to step out of my comfort zone, I might not. It certainly was hard to put together and would have been exceptionally harder without the Thuum and saurian translator. (Oh, and if you want a little more insight to the story, you should use them.) If you might not have guessed by now this will be slightly AU, there are some things that will be altered to make Skyrim more compatible as a story compared to a game, that means the storyline will not be quite the same, but rather changed to fit the circumstances.**

 **And I know Saurian is the language from Sauria and not Cerinia. But since I did not feel like inventing a whole nother language I "borrowed" it. Additionally, for the sake of making it easier on the author, Krystal will speak Tamrilic common which I might explain...eventually, Saurian is the language she uses to cast high level spells. I also plan for her to be just as if not more important then the Dragonborn I only hope I can hold true to that. It is not easy for me to write female characters so please do not get too upset if it does not sound "authentic". I will also try to keep characters true to how they are in the game Skyrim itself, but they didn't really have that much in the first place, barring the more prominent ones involved with the major quest lines. And this is going to be pretty hellish since I'll have to dig through the game again and get the names of abstract characters and shopkeepers. I want this to be as close to the game as possible while still being unique. Lord only knows how long and time consuming that will be. Please pray for me!**

 **Oh, and I have the whole plot figured out, but feel free to offer suggestions, such as certain side quests you might like to see done in more detail or even if you think of ones yourself. I plan for this fic to be lengthy, really lengthy.**

 **And withhold judgment until you reach the end of the prologue. There is practically nothing given about Cerinia, and I had to make this all up on the fly.**

 **And with that I bid you all farewell, until next time! (Links to the translators here)**

 **.**

 **Drake**

Stranded Beyond Hope

Prologue: Lost

A warm and cheery beam of sunlight lazily streamed through the burgundy drapes in an extravagantly decorated bedchamber. The walls were swathed in beauteous tapestries; each individual weave lovingly stitched by an artisan's talented paw and depicting mystical sprawling forests that promised wanderers a journey into mystery. The chamber itself was home to a wide variety of similarly mastercrafted furniture, a dwelling fit for royalty as was indeed the case.

The expansive and wondrous chamber was home to a single royal occupant, the crown princess of Cerinia. Long, has the line of Xúrinath watched over the noble kingdom and its subjects, bringing countless years of welcomed harmony and prosperity throughout the generations.

The princess herself had lived such a peaceful life, spending many a pleasant day with her father and mother, the king and queen. War had not touched the land since Xúrinath, the ancient hero, overthrew the primeval corrupt leaders of the old kingdom. That is not saying that they were completely without strife.

Cerinia always had need of its guardians; the skilled and honorable defenders kept order across the land and watched over those in need. To be a guardian was to enjoy the admiration and prestige that came with such a title. Each was a hero in the eyes of the people and revered by all. Many aspired to such a lofty goal, but to become one was no easy task. Years of training, meditation, and a kind gentle soul were what one needed if they truly wanted to reach their dreams and many were either unable or unworthy of becoming a guardian.

And today was to be her day.

Krystal had worked hard all her life training to become one of the noble elite. Her days as a kit had mostly been spent with her many tutors and the vixen had endured hundreds of hours of rigorous drills and hard lessons. Many times she had been close to breaking and would have given up without the support and encouragement of her family. But, despite all of the hardships she had doggedly trudged through, she did it.

This day was the culmination of everything she had ever worked for, all her suffering, pain, and tears lead up to this one moment. The vixen could hardly restrain her excitement as she dressed in the traditional garb of a female guardian, a golden brassiere and lustrous pearly white loincloth accompanied by intricately engraved gold bracers and greaves. Fixed firmly on her elegant shoulders was a pair of decorative shoulder pauldrons. The rest of her lithe body left exposed, allowing anyone who looked upon her form to see the results of her lifetime of training.

The cerulean furred vixen was as graceful as she was supple. Krystal's years of preparation for her role as a guardian had gifted her with smooth sinuous muscles and a lean elegant frame. She was not the strongest, but she was by far the fastest. Her speed and agility were her key strengths and she played to them excellently.

Her viridian eyes held softness to them, bellying her great inner reserves of strength. While almost gentle to a fault, she was by no means helpless, as anyone who had seen her with a staff would testify to.

Krystal had beaten every one of her instructors with skill and cunning. She was said to have the potential to be one of the greatest guardians that Cerinia had ever seen.

To her, it seemed like everything was starting to piece together. She had finally passed the last greatest hurtle in her life and now she could begin to truly start it.

The vixen had a satisfied grin as she slipped on a pair of silver tail cuffs and picked at her revealing outfit a little longer before leaving her chambers and stepping into the marbled hallways of the palace.

The first step to finally accomplishing her goal was to speak with her mother and father. Once she had officially received their blessing she would be on her way. All that would be left after was the traditional celebratory feast and acceptance ceremony where she would officially earn her title as guardian and at last stand amongst them.

Just the thought of that moment filled her with giddy excitement.

' _So close…just a little longer.'_

The vixen's sandals clapped repeatedly against the stone floor as she hurriedly blazed a path to the throne room where her parents awaited. Her chamber was close so it took little time before she was allowed in by the guardians on watch. The two males wore the shining plate of their order and held stylish blue and gold spears in their pawed grips, both smiling softly at the one who would soon be joining them.

Krystal happily returned their grins as she glided into the throne room and sedately approached the pair of golden thrones, walking down the deep blue carpet. Sitting upon the royal seats, a male and female fox gazed at her with loving eyes.

Randorn son of Arathorn was the twelfth king to sit upon the throne. Middle-aged, the dark blue vulpine was still very much in his prime, muscles still flowing with vigor and strength. His broad muzzle was forever crinkled into a slight grin and his turquoise eyes contained a well of mirth. Many of his subjects had lovingly named him, The Laughing King.

Sitting beside him, was the jewel of Cerinia, Queen Vera. Krystal's mother was petite and somewhat frail. She had been plagued by a sickness for the past year but was on the path to recovery. Despite this she still had strength in her and was far from infirm. Before she had been queen, the russet furred vixen had been a guardian and that strength still flowed through her. The queen regarded her daughter with a bright shine to her azure eyes.

Krystal loved her parents dearly. Although they had many duties to the kingdom they had always made sure to make time for her.

The vixen stopped just in front of the duel thrones and bowed, smiling widely at them as she rose back to her full height. She could see the pride swelling in their gazes and Krystal knew that they could not be more proud of her then they were at that moment, that knowledge lifted her heart to touch the skies with joy.

"Mother, father…." She greeted in her slightly musical tone.

"Krystal, my beloved daughter…" Randorn began as he grinned. "Today sparks the arrival of a momentous event." The large vulpine's speech was resonant, filling the vast and regal chamber with his mellow vocals.

"We know you have been waiting long for its arrival." Her mother added with a tender interjection.

Krystal's muzzle shook up and down quickly in confirmation. "I want to be just like you were mother!" She yipped excitedly.

Her father chuckled at the young vixen's enthusiasm. "Your mother was just like that at your age." Randorn turned to his mate with a knowing grin. "My little spitfire..."

Vera batted her tale at him playfully. "You didn't seem to mind all that much if I recall correctly."

Krystal giggled at her parents' loving banter. "Mother, Father, please…"

Randorn sighed.

The young vixen was eager to get to the center of her business. Being so close to her goal, she was getting impatient. But he could not fault her for getting excited with her life's dream.

"Very well my daughter. Kneel."

Quickly complying, Krystal kneeled in front of the two thrones and her father rose from his, striding down the marble steps to tower over her. The king was a rare specimen of a fox. He had a stark blue coat with the markings of the royal bloodline and stood on his hindpaws at seven feet. To his subjects he was the very image of a great king, but to his enemies he was a fearsome sight to dread.

As Randorn began to utter the beginning of the sacred oath, Vera watched on proudly. Seeing her daughter turn into a woman almost brought the vixen to tears. It seemed just yesterday that a little Krystal had been running through the halls, an unstoppable force of vitality and mischief for the unfortunate guards and palace staff. Now here she was…a spitting cerulean image of Vera herself on her own induction day.

"Do you, Krystal, princess of Cerinia, swear to safeguard the Cerinian people? To guide and nurture them, like the florist does the rose, maintaining this kingdom's purity and beauty?"

"So I swear." Krystal affirmed assertively, a sharp gleam of determination in her jade green eyes.

"Will you pledge to uphold and preserve the ancient commandments on which our society is founded? Thwarting any and all threats both within and without?"

"I will."

Randorn nodded slowly with an air of satisfaction.

"Do you swear to remain loyal to these tenants, only using your power and influence to achieve noble and moral goals?"

"I do."

Randorn turned to signal his mate and Vera rose from her throne, holding a long cylindrical object in her paws, wrapped in a purple cloth.

"Then, it is with great pleasure that I, King Randorn son of Arathorn, welcome you to the ranks of the noble guardians." He took a step backwards and Vera replaced him, holding the enclosed item out towards Krystal, beckoning her to take it.

The younger vixen looked up and hesitantly grasped the wrapped pole, feeling the unforgiving surface of the item underneath the pliable fabric. It was heavy, heavier than she expected and she almost had a brief clumsy moment.

Once she had tightened her grip, she reached a paw to the top and pulled the cloth away to reveal a lengthy staff topped with a jewel encrusted orb. Realizing what she held, the vixen gazed up at her parent's in shock.

"This is our gift to you, Krystal. This staff has been passed down our line since it was first created for Xúrinath by the foragemaster's of old. It is a powerful and ancient relic. Treat it as a trusted companion and it will do the same. The spirits of our ancestors lie within the staff and will help you in times of great need."

Vera explained this to her daughter, having used the very same staff herself before she returned it to the royal vaults.

Krystal was stricken speechless. Never had she thought she would be worthy enough to use the sacred weapon. Such gratitude could not be explained with mere spoken words. The vixen opened herself to her parents and let them feel the true depth of her appreciation through their familial bond.

Her father gave her his trademark grin as he spoke through their telepathic connection. _'You are welcome daughter, use it well. I know you will make us proud.'_

Krystal smiled at her mother and father before sweeping them both up in a white knuckled hug, squeezing them tightly as she buried her muzzle in the comforting and familiar softness of their fur, a slight purr emanating from her breast.

Her father pushed away slightly and spoke aloud. "Now, your mother and I are going to prepare for the celebratory feast. You my dear are not completely free today. Your old spell instructor has need of you this morning. Please go speak with him. When you are done come meet us in the banquet hall."

"Yes father, I will go right away!" Krystal yelped happily, clutching her new staff in her paws tightly and rushing for the door. The vixen was now even more eager for the coming evening. That was when it would be made official.

' _Oh how wondrous it would be!'_

She could see it all now. The lights! The people! A banquet hall buzzing with cerinians from all over the kingdom, and they would all be there for her. The vixen was rarely egotistical, but this was her exception. After all, she was about to achieve her life's dream! First, the food, the palace chefs would whip up all manners of delectable treats, smoked _talera_ , fresh from the Henro River, _balarian_ sweat cream, and succulent _kiro_ steak with mashed tubers covered in gravy. Krystal's muzzle was watering just at the thought of it all.

The entertainment would be next. No doubt her mother and father would request the finest musicians and entertainers. Soft tranquil melodies would flow, complementing the stately performances of talented acrobats and graceful dancers.

Yet, she was most excited for all the attention she would get from the males. Perhaps she would find her soulmate today, a strapping cerinian warrior or maybe a dashing and roguish noble. He would ask her to dance, and how they would dance! He would hold her close and whisper sweet serenades into her ear as they twirled through the hall for all to see.

Krystal longed for that special someone, a kind, brave, and considerate soul, two likeminded hearts beating an identical tune. He would be a loving protector and her closest friend.

The vixen shivered at the possibilities.

It was hard for her to refrain from skipping as she skated through the grandiose marble corridors and to the lab of her instructor.

Varaduke was the King's magister and a wise old fox. His once bold blue fur was greyed with age, but his eyes still held their youth and charm. The elderly vulpine had taught her everything she knew about the more mystical aspects of their world, training her to draw on the eldritch powers that suffused the land and air around them. With his guidance she had learned the arts of healing, as he was reluctant to impart any harmful spells to her. Although, he did teach her some of the broader aspects of magical combat, how to cast a ball of flame or summon a bolt of lightning. She was not very adept at those skills and had to use a staff as a catalyst.

Krystal idly wondered why he had been so hesitant as she stepped down the extensive and intricate spiral staircase leading to the elderly magisters' laboratory. As she neared her sensitive nose picked up on the spicy odor of spell components and the musty aroma of ancient tomes filled with the knowledge of magisters long past.

At the end of the staircase was a thick wooden door reinforced with iron bars. The stairwell was illuminated with dim torch sconces that gave it a slightly foreboding atmosphere. Shadows flickered against the stone walls, tendrils of withering darkness.

Krystal hurriedly scampered over to the door and rapped her paw against the oaken barricade.

"J-just a moment!" A scratchy voice muttered distantly.

She waited for quite some time before the door finally creaked apart, revealing the magister himself.

Varaduke wore a simple yet officious white robe that concealed his elderly frame and protected him from the faint chill that always seemed to permeate his abode. The vulpine held a sturdy oak staff in his paws, both for his magic and means of support. Balanced on his muzzle was a pair of spectacles in front of his hazel eyes that aided his fading sight.

"Ah, Krystal my dear, I've been waiting for you." He greeted her tenderly, opening the door wider so that she could enter.

The two vulpines briefly touched thoughts, each expressing joy at seeing the other, a customary greeting amongst friends and loved ones.

The magister was like an uncle to her, having helped raise her for as long as she could remember. The vixen loved him dearly, although he could be quite absent minded at times. His long stints in his magical workshop often made him forgetful of the outside world. And even of his bodily needs. When he became absorbed in his work he would oft forget to eat and sleep. Krystal had come down here many times to bring him his meals and make sure he slept regularly.

The vixen slipped past the large door and gazed around the room as he ushered her deeper inside. Bookshelves lined the walls, each packed with yellowed volumes written in enchanted script. A colossal iron chandler hung from the center of the lofty chamber, providing a warm light from hundreds of wax candles. A few oak tables were scattered about, cluttered with phylacteries and vials of glowing liquids where the scent of magic was strongest. It was all a familiar sight she had seen many times before.

But she did notice a strange circle chalked into the center of the workshop, peculiar glyphs inscribed around it and candles with blue flames were placed in patterns along the interior of its curved white lines.

' _What's that?'_ She wondered curiously.

"Come, come, I have something to show you!" He mumbled in excitement, heading right towards the strange circle, the bottom of his staff clacking against the burnished stone. "After thirty years I have done it!"

"Done what, Magister?" She asked in confusion. All she saw was a circle on the floor.

"It was here, right under our muzzles all this time!"

"What was?"

He lifted his furred arms in the air grandiosely. "I have found a means of crossing worlds, Krystal my dear!"

Now she was even more confused. "Crossing worlds?"

He jabbed his staff in her direction. "Yes precisely! Our ancestors were capable of reaching into other worlds, something thought lost after Xúrinath's rebellion."

"But…how?" All thoughts on her future were put on hold. What he said did not seem possible. Perhaps he had finally gone senile? He was an older fox after all.

"I recently uncovered a strange tome deep in the royally library. It is written in a language I have never seen before, or so I thought." He reached into his robe and pulled out a thick black leather-bound volume, holding it out to her. "But there was another, an almost exact copy right here in my lab."

She accepted his handout and glanced down at the heavy book. There were runes on it, but she could not make heads or tails of them. They looked like claw marks from some great reptilian creature. Most were composed of three gashes and a dot, this simple configuration managed to make a complex pattern that she could not decipher with a quick glance.

"The difference between the one I found in the library, and the one I found here, is simple but groundbreaking. The one I found here is a cypher of some kind, from which I was able to glean vital information!"

She flipped through the tome as she looked back up to the ecstatic vulpine, still trying to grasp what he was spouting. The vixen was still several steps behind. "Cypher…?"

"Yes, a means of interpreting the strange runes. And what I found is simply amazing! If it is to be believed, the creators of this language…are dragons!"

"But they're just myths." Some believed that dragons had existed, but most cerinians considered them a kit's fable.

"Maybe they are now, but not a thousand years ago! This changes everything my dear. This book goes into detail about Xúrinath's rebellion. And it is quite fascinating since the history behind it has been mostly lost!" The bespectacled vulpine fixed his glasses as he continued. "It would seem that the despotic regime he overthrew was in fact these dragons! They had enslaved our people and with the help of a few noble and kindhearted ones, he was able to overthrow their leader. Subsequently, the surviving dragons left from whence they came, a strange world called _Tameriel_ where they were planning on liberating the inhabitants there as well. But before they did, they gave Xúrinath these tomes. I can only assume he decided to let this information fade with time…but why I wonder?"

Krysta was uncertain what to take of this. All she wanted was to have her special day. She didn't need all of this to be dumped on her lap. "Why are you telling me all of this now?"

' _Why did it have to be today, of all days?'_

"I need your help, Krystal. One of the tomes told of a rite that once completed, would allow us to visit the other world. But, I am not strong enough to complete it on my own. You were my most powerful pupil. With your assistance I will be able to open the rift." He turned to her with a pleading gaze.

"I don't know, Varaduke." She murmured uncertainly, scratching at the fur on her left arm. "I don't think it would be wise. Perhaps we should consult my father first." She was certain he would know what to do. He was the wisest fox she knew.

"I don't want to risk him saying no. Please, Krystal! This means so much to me! I've spent thirty years of my life on trying to do this. I can't afford to lose it now, not after being so close. Will you help me?"

The unfortunate vixen was torn with indecision. She wanted to help him, but she was worried that something might happen. She had no idea what opening a rift to another world would do, what the effects might be. But she did not want to say no to the vulpine that had guided her throughout her life, helped shape all that she was today. _'Why does it have to be so hard?'_ Surely doing it just once would not do any harm…right? All they would be doing was seeing if it worked.

The more she thought about it, the more she was leaning towards helping him. She had to admit she was also curious to see if it worked. The thought of a whole other world to see intrigued her. At least if she helped him, she could go back to planning for the banquet.

"Alright, I'll help."

Varaduke released an explosive sigh of relief and grinned widely. "Thank you, Krystal. I knew you would!" His robes fluttered in the breeze that his cheerful tail created.

"So, what do you need me to do?" She wondered.

Now that she had agreed, he seemed even more excited than before, gesturing animatedly towards the circle he had created. "Yes, yes, it's very simple! I see you already have you staff. That makes this even easier. Just follow me, yes, and sit here, yes very good. Now, place your staff firmly in your grip and plant it into the floor in the slot."

Krystal hesitantly did as instructed, placing the bottommost part of her staff into the niche between her sandaled hindpaws.

"Excellent." He praised as he kneeled down at the opposite end, striking a similar pose with his staff. "Now, close your eyes and concentrate. Just as I taught you when you were first learning, feel the energy within you, let it float to the forefront of your thoughts."

The vixen closed her eyes, seeing nothing but darkness. However, when she concentrated hard enough, she could feel the power lying dormant inside her, a flickering blue flame of potential energy. The vixen coerced it, beckoning the fire to grow from a faint intensity to a blazing beacon. The magical vitality flowed through her, sending a steady rejuvenating current that refreshed her body and mind while stimulating her nerves. It was almost erotic in a way, the heady rush of power, the heightened senses; it was enough to make anyone giddy.

She did not see it, but the blue gem atop her staff lit brightly with bourgeoning power, absorbing any excess from its owner.

"Well done. Channel your power into your staff, as much as you can manage." His voice sounded slightly strained to her ears. He must be putting a lot of his strength into his magic.

Krystal did as she was told, guiding her fire into the staff, the process was draining and as the time dragged on, she was starting to feel exhaustion creep into her. Yet there seemed to be no change that she could hear. The staff was ravenous, devouring the magical energy as fast as she was giving it.

The vixen's ears flicked.

There was a faint hum suffusing the chamber, and it was building. Her staff began to vibrate in her padded grip and she could feel the tremors traveling down her arms and into her chest. Krystal was beginning to feel uneasy.

"V-Varaduke…."

"Don't worry my dear, its fine. A little discomfort is to be expected. It should even out soon enough."

She was not exactly confident in his explanation, but she pressed on nonetheless, syphoning more of her power into the staff. The glow from the orb was increasing, to the point where she could see it underneath her eyelids, a bright and shining blue light.

Now the floor under her began to tremble as the humming in the air changed pitch, now a deep rumbling buzz.

Krystal inhaled heavily, she felt as if she had just finished a few laps in the palace pool. How much power did this actually take? She was beginning to falter in her efforts.

Her curiosity got the best of her and she opened her eyes to see the chamber, and gasped.

The lab was in disarray, books were falling off the shelves and phials of liquids were tumbling off tables to smash against the stone floor. But what was most startling, was the huge flickering oval of azure light in the center of the circle. An unnatural breeze flowed through the room, the temperature dropping to the point where she could perceive the water vapors she exhaled from her lungs.

It was happening! A portal to another world was opening, something long believed to be impossible was occurring just in front of her.

At the moment it was erratic and uncertain, but every second brought it closer to a more stabilized state. The flickering was evening out and the ambient buzz in the room was softening.

"It's working!"

Varaduke opened his eyes at her excited announcement and grinned at the glowing portal. "Yes! I knew it would!"

The portal's disordered wavering ceased and the room stopped shaking almost immediately after, it finally having reached its equilibrium. Varaduke bounced to his hindpaws and grabbed his staff, slowly approaching the blue and inky threshold. Nothing could be seen through the murky gateway, although, small particles of white floated through to the lab. The magister held out a paw and let one of the white specks land on his padded palm.

"Snow…its snow!" He announced happily as he watched the snowflake melt and trickle into his fur. "Winter in midsummer…" The vulpine chuckled softly in amusement.

Krystal grabbed her staff and joined him, noticing the peculiar warmth imbuing the rod. She held out her paw as he had and let a flake land on it, giggling lightheadedly. She had not seen snow since she had been a small kit and her parents had taken her to the Merion Mountains.

"This is…it's just incredible!" She turned to her mentor with a grin, tail wagging eagerly.

"Yes it is indeed something." He agreed, staring intently at the result of thirty years of planning and work. "What do you think it is like on the other side?"

"Cold…?" She chanced a guess.

The magister laughed. "I imagine it is."

"What do we do now?"

"Now, you can go back to your parents. You have a big day today my dear."

Krystal was surprised. "You remembered?"

He smiled. "I never forgot."

The vixen hugged the robed fox with a similar grin. It meant much to her that even in his absent minded state he had not forgotten about her special day.

Varaduke spluttered slightly in embarrassment. "Y-yes well don't let me hold you back any longer. I'll speak to your father on this portal later tonight at the banquet."

Krystal made to say her farewell when the room darkened. She looked over the magister's shoulder and towards the rippling portal.

Hadn't it been blue before?

The portal's hue had altered to a more ominous red and the chamber was once more beginning to shake.

"Magister….something's wrong with the portal." Concern laced her voice.

The older vulpine maneuvered his muzzle over his shoulder and noticed the odd discoloration, frowning worriedly as he did. "That's not right. The book said nothing of this."

Suddenly, there was a loud _pop_ and everything flashed white.

* * *

Krystal was freezing.

She must have forgotten to put on her comforter. The vixen turned over and reached her paw out to correct that error in judgment when she gasped in shock.

' _C-c-c-cold!'_

Krystal shot up in a daze and looked about in confusion. "W-where a-am I-I?" The vixen stuttered in shock as she clutched her furred arms together for warmth. A quick look around her answered the previous question, but not in the way she had hoped.

For some reason, Krystal found herself plopped down in the middle of an extensive snowy meadow, the glacial white powder piled up to her shins. Trees lined around her, like oaken wardens, each covered in a thin film of frost. This perplexed the young cerinian vixen to no end. She should be home, not…here, wherever here was.

A frigid gust of dry wind slithered its icy way into her bones and Krystal squeaked, wrapping her bushy tail up against herself for more warmth. It seemed as if the very air was dead set on sucking any trace of heat left in her. At this point, the vixen was regretting the minimalistic nature of her apparel.

"W-what…." She muttered in consternation.

Krystal was more than a little disorientated by her rapid shift in environment. Where's Varaduke and his lab? She had just been speaking to the wizened magister what seemed like moments ago. Everything had been going fine…although, she remembered that brief moment of confusion just before she arrived here.

The portal.

Something had happened to the portal.

That odd red light, the portal must have collapsed or exploded. This meant that if she was not in Varaduke's laboratory….

Oh no…

Krystal scrambled to her hindpaws and whipped her muzzle back and forth in panic, taking in the wintery landscape surrounding her.

She was in the other world!

Where was the portal? She had to find it. It was her only ticket back home.

But as the frantic vixen scrambled around the clearing, the familiar blue glow of the threshold was nowhere in sight.

' _No. No. No. No….'_

This couldn't be happening! Not to her, not on her day! She had so much planned, so much she wanted to do. She was about to achieve her life's dream! It was to be her moment. Krystal couldn't be here, not now.

The morose vixen collapsed to her knees amidst the gentle drifts of snow and felt tears threatening to break past her turquoise eyes and mar her creamy perfectly white muzzle.

' _No….not like this. It can't end like this. There must be a way to fix it!'_

Yet there was nothing she could think of to solve her terrible issue. She wouldn't even know how to recreate the process on which Varaduke used for the portal, nor would she have enough strength to power it. She was effectively stranded on this alien world.

As she realized this, all her hopes and dreams were rendered null and void. The vixen could no longer hold back her tears. The first made its lonesome journey down her fuzzy cheek, but would not be concluding its forlorn trip alone.

Everything she knew was back in the other world. Her _life_ was back in the other world. This was not how it was meant to be. She was supposed to become a guardian and serve her people. One day she was going to be queen, ruling alongside a just, noble king and loving mate. She was going to raise a family.

Now….

Now that was all just an intangible dream, as impossible as her chances of getting home were.

The vixen cried amidst the falling snow, wrapped up in a bundle for warmth as she sunk further into depression. She had lost the will to move. What was the point? She had no hope of getting back. Perhaps she should just sit here, waiting until the extreme cold claimed her.

" _Ont Zu'u faan hi zeymah, Alduin!_ _Nu hi los naught nuz riil. Vis hi ni koraav fos hi lost meyz, rud do hin vorohah?"_

A booming voice shattered the clearing's silence and filled the vixen's ears. Krystal, partially deafened, turned to find the source.

" _ **Hi los mey ahrk vax Parthanax. Hin widnu rot fent ni seyl zey. Hi los nid pruz wey Zu'u. Daar lein los dii naal viilut! Zu'u fen lost nii!"**_

A different voice, far darker and menacing, shook the ground underneath her and reverberated through the air. Krystal stumbled to her hindpaws.

Suddenly, she was thrown back to the snowy ground as the line of trees to her left exploded, showering the clearing in splinters and hunks of broken timber. The vixen yipped, feeling a sharp pain in her side as she hit the frozen earth. The world was shaking, and primal roars assaulted her ears, random gouts of flame blinding her vision. She rolled to the side, her training and instincts screaming for her to move.

Krystal clawed her way to the edge of the clearing and leaned against one of the trees that still stood relatively unscarred. She whimpered in pain and glanced down to her injured side, spotting a small shard of wood sticking out just above her waist.

"Ow…." She whined and prodded at the object, hissing as her paws made contact. Gingerly, she wrapped a paw around it and tugged. Krystal gasped and barred her fangs, quickly placing a paw over the bloody wound and mumbling as she called upon her reserve of magic, sealing the deep wound. She was too exhausted to completely fix it, but at least she had stopped the flow.

" _ **Waan hi fen ni aav zey, hi fen dir!"**_

Krystal turned her muzzle to the snarling voice and widened her eyes in fear and shock. The sight was beyond her belief and terrified her as much as it mystified.

Dragons!

Two of the great serpents were annihilating the clearing she had just occupied moments ago. Both colossal reptilians clawed and snapped at each other, rending scales and drawing blood. One was a deep shade of black, a soulless color that seemed to devour the very light around it. Just gazing at the beast chilled her blood and froze her thoughts with its unnerving visage.

The other was a pale gold color, an ancient looking creature with dull scales, chipped claws and missing teeth. All she felt from this one was sadness and regret, an odd combination that would have made her curious if not for her dire circumstances.

Krystal leapt to the side as an errant fireball collided with the tree she had been resting on.

' _Spirits!'_

She ran deep into the forest, scrambling behind a rock and curling up into as tiny as a ball as she could manage, hoping that she would be spared from this duel of titans. The earsplitting roars and slavering growls ran unopposed for what seemed like hours, and Krystal did her best to ride it out, huddling up under the cold boulder and clamping her paws over her ears.

' _Please make it stop….please.'_

Yet it seemed to go on without end, until she drifted off into troubled slumber.

* * *

Krystal awoke to the musical tune of birds. The vixen moved to sit up, painfully smacking her head on the rock above her with an aggrieved yip.

' _Ugh, how long have I been sleeping?'_

She strained her ears for any sign that the fearsome dragons were still out there, waiting for a long time before she was satisfied. Praying that they were well and truly gone, she crawled out from underneath her cover and stretched her cramped limbs.

The vixen held back a yawn as she walked the short distance back to the clearing. Her mind started to reprocess the events of the last day, and she was once more reminded of her situation. Sniveling, she slowly slumped forwards, wondering why she was even doing it in the first place. Why would she even want to go back? Krystal supposed that was easy to answer.

Why not?

She had nothing else to do. She was lost here in this crazy world with nothing better to do. And hopefully, it might keep her mind of that fact.

Krystal passed the battered trees and stepped into the destroyed clearing, instantly freezing.

One of the dragons was still there!

The pale gold serpent laid tattered and broken, blood leaking from numerous gashes in its thick hide. It was breathing shallowly and irregularly and looked to be in great pain. Yet Krystal was still terrified of it. What if the reptilian wanted to make a quick snack of her? It would easily be able to with its massive set of deadly jaws.

But, as she took in its sorry appearance, she could not help but pity the once majestic creature. It was far from the noble and majestic beast she had envisioned.

Coming to a decision, Krystal took a deep breath and hesitantly approached. _'Why am I doing this?'_

She could feel the sundered earth underneath her sandals, piles of dirt torn up by razor-sharp claws. Claws that could rend her flesh at any moment she reminded herself. ' _Please oh please be a nice dragon!'_

Krystal stopped right in front of the sleeping dragon's snout, gently reaching her paw out. She ran it across the reptile's hide, marveling in its warm and coarse texture. Each individual scale was rigid and any sharpness they would have had was dulled by age. This particular dragon must be primordial.

The vixen gazed at its closed eyes, tracing one of its horns in wonder. Here was a magical beast, in the flesh. A real living myth right before her eyes, and she was touching it! Its wings must have been at least a hundred feet across, maybe more.

" _Ahnok til mal Lilmothiit. Zu'u lost ni nun hi reyliik nau daar lein ko pogaan eruvos."_

Krystal meaped in surprise and her tail bristled as she leapt back in fright. "Oh spirits please don't eat me I taste terrible I swear!" She fired off rapidly and hid behind her tail.

She felt a deep rumble in the dirt and realized that the dragon was laughing.

" _Do not be afraid young one. I have no intentions of eating you. It's the fur you see."_

The vixen gasped in shock as it spoke in a language she understood but the dragon took it the other way.

" _Was it the joke? I fear it might have been too crude. For that forgive me. I am not feeling well at the moment as it were."_ His rumbling chuckle held a hint of self-deprecation.

"I-I uh y-you…." Krystal stuttered.

" _Ah yes, you are surprised that I speak. I guarantee you I am very literate. Yes, yes, you are very confused, but I am afraid I do not have the time to explain. My…friend, has done too much damage."_ The dragon coughed and Krystal watched as red blood cascading past its broken teeth.

"I-I can help you." The vixen did not the dragon to die; she did not want anyone to die. Not as long as she could help them.

" _I do not see how."_

She didn't respond, instead placing both her palms on the dragon's hulking shoulder, just under the leathery wing. "Ex udsaodk jfahakj, A Krystal ev Cerinia rojoosx kxoo, fcoujo codt mo 0eih uat. Xocf mo modt kxaj feeh jeicj ret0."

As she prayed, she felt her strength return to her and a faint golden glow rose from underneath her palms.

" _Interesting, I have not heard that language spoken since…."_ The dragon paused, shifting his gargantuan snout in her direction, the scaled crests above his salient eyes raising in curiosity. _"Tell me little fox, where are you from?"_

Krystal was focused on her task, but was able to answer. "I am from Cerinian, which is nowhere near here. And I can never return again." It was hard for her to keep the pain and desperation from entering her voice. Just talking about it almost made her tear up.

" _Cerinia…a name I have not heard uttered in many, many years."_

"You know of my homeworld!" She snapped her muzzle back to him excitedly. "Do you know how to get there?"

" _It…is not so easily done I am afraid. It is far easier to come from there then to go, especially now with Alduin's return. His power over this world restricts the use of such powerful magic, and without an elder scroll it is rendered all but impossible."_

"But there is a chance?" Krystal demanded hastily. She was clinging to the possibility of the chance of the probability that she could get home. She couldn't believe otherwise, wouldn't.

" _I suppose. But that would be next to impossible given the circumstances."_ The dragon huffed, a faint puff of smoke curling out of his nostrils to waif away in the breeze.

Krystal slumped in defeat, her only chance at getting back blowing up in her muzzle. "What do I do know? Where do I go?" The vixen fell backwards as the dragon rose to his claws, armored tail digging a furrow in the frozen dirt.

" _You have helped me greatly little fox. Tell me, what is your name?"_

"Krystal, my name is Krystal." She mumbled softly as she climbed to her paws.

" _Well then Krystal, allow me to be of help. I am Parthanax, grandmaster of the order of the voice. Come with me, I can offer you a place to stay until you figure out what to do. Perhaps I can even be of some assistance with your plight. I cannot fix it, but I may be able to find the one who can."_

Krystal was uncertain. Can she just trust this dragon? Was there any reason not too? Probably, but that didn't really matter did it? "I will accept your offer."

" _Then it is settled, but before we leave. Is there something you are forgetting?"_

Krystal frowned in confusion. She didn't have anything with her. The vixen turned to the clearing and spotted brief shine as the sun glinted off something metallic. Realizing what it was, she rushed over to the mound of snow and dirt, and clawed away at it furiously. She quickly revealed the pole of her staff, shining in the light. Krystal grabbed the weapon and cradled it in her arms, the last connection she had to her home. But how did the dragon know?

' _You are not the only one with powers my dear.'_

Krystal's eyes widened and she turned to Parthanax.

The dragon was grinning.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hello my friends, here's the next chapter with a little update. The world of Skyrim will be expanded far past as it was portrayed in the game. From a games standpoint, it was a nice size, but from a realistic point of view. It was somewhat small. That means distances between places will be far wider and cities will be much bigger. Instead of a few minutes traveling from place to place, it will take days. I will also take liberties with certain other aspects of the game which you will seen when the time comes.**

 **Now read and enjoy!**

 **Drake out!**

Stranded Beyond Hope

Chapter 1: Passage

' _You have the gift?'_ Krystal was awed. She had not thought that any outside of the cerinian people would have the gift of clairvoyance. It was what separated them from the other races on their world, such as the sharpclaws and earthwalkers.

The dragon's broad maw dipped in acknowledgment. _'Indeed young one, that and much more. Your people would not have this ability if not for the dovah. It was our gift to you.'_ Parthanax could see the curiosity in her eyes. _'That being, now is not the time to discuss this. I would like to return to the mountain, there is much that needs to be done if we are to stop Alduin's Madness and have a chance of getting you back to your own world.'_

The pastel golden serpent clambered to his full height and rolled down one of his shoulders, speaking vocally. _"Come, we must hurry. Time is against us, already Alduin is on the march. Every moment he is in this world he gains power."_

Krystal eyes his proffered shoulder warily. "You want me…to ride you?" While interesting, hurtling through the air on the back of a dragon she had known for all of ten minutes did not appeal to her.

" _That is unless you would prefer to walk the forty-three miles to High Hrothgar and then climb the seven thousand steps? I have heard word that the ice trolls are particularly vicious this year."_

Krystal hurriedly climbed atop Parthanax's scaled spine and situated herself in-between the spikes of his neck, all without a word.

The dragon chuckled as he began to beat his wings. _"I thought you might, hang on tight."_

"To wh-?" She began to demand just as the dragon launched himself into the air, the vixen's faint panicked screaming fading into the distance.

Krystal clutched the pair of spikes in front of her for dear life, hugging her bosom to the dragon's scaled hide. Her eyes were tightly synched shut, having no desire to see what the ground looked like from up high. Any attempt to speak was stolen by the fierce winds ripping past her muzzle, threatening to suck the air from her lungs. _'A little warning would have been appreciated!'_

She could feel the mirth in the Parthanax's mental response. _'But not nearly as entertaining.'_

' _I imagined a dragon being more…stoic.'_

' _I imagined a lady would have more poise. Your…yelp was most vulgar.'_

Krystal huffed indignantly, unable to do anything else and choosing to remain silent to the dragons prodding.

Parthanax looked over his shoulder as he flew, taking in the vixen's irate aura and was reminded of her circumstances. _'Forgive me. sometimes I forget myself….your yelp was actually exceptionally refined.'_

As mad as the vixen was, Krystal could not help but giggle. _'Fine…you're forgiven. But I would appreciate it if you were not to tease me.'_

' _I will do my best to refrain.'_ Parthanax conceded as he flapped his wings and coasted along a thermal, lapsing into thoughtful silence. As intriguing as this vixen was, he had not forgotten about Alduin.

He had once called that monster brother, and had sown such sorrow as not to be believed by mere mortals. Parthanax had been a stanch follower of the false prophets will for many years, a millennia of service he wished he could have back. In his advanced age, the dragon wondered how it was he could have followed such a beast. But the answer was clear as the midday sun peaking over the horizon.

He had desired the same thing.

Power.

Alduin craved power, even more than a dragon had right to. He would never be satisfied until all of Tamriel bent its knee to him and crowned him as a god. When Parthanax first heard one of Alduin's insane rants, he knew at that moment that he had been mistaken. Alduin was not the champion Parthanax thought he was. This power that he craved was too much. He was Icavarus, trying to challenge the sun. And one day his wings would burn and he would fall.

This was why he had betrayed the one he called brother, taught the people of Tamriel the way of the voice. It was the only means in which they could have stopped him. And now, after an age he had returned to fulfill his black wishes.

There was only one who could hope to stop him. Parthanax knew of the Dragonborn, had felt them enter the world many years ago. Kynareth had come to him on that day, warning of Alduin's revival. But he had been stubborn, believing that he alone could have stopped the dark dragon.

How foolish and prideful he had been…

Even weakened by his recent return, Alduin had been more than a match for him. He was lucky that the fiend had desired for him to bleed to death in the frozen tundra, otherwise he would not be breathing at this very moment.

Only the unintentional arrival of this vixen had stayed his death.

But was it _truly_ chance that sent her here?

If not for her, he would be dead and the Dragonborn would never be made aware of their power. Alduin would have sundered this world.

Perhaps she had been sent here to help alter the tides of destiny. Perhaps it was all planned by the gods? It seemed too convenient that she happened to end up where she did at the time she did, in the position to save his broken body and aid him in his duty. She was strong, he could feel that much just by looking at her. There was great power dormant inside her. She could be instrumental in defeating the evil dragon.

The gods did indeed work in mysterious ways.

' _Parthanax…what is this world like? All I have seen so far is snow and ice.'_

The dragon hummed, thoughts shifting. _'I suppose you would need to know if you are to be prepared. I have no desire to speak of the extensive history of Tamriel. It is long, convoluted and each race will bicker of what is true and what is false. I will however, tell of the land we are in…Skyrim. It is a hard place, filled with men, mer, and beastfolk alike. War is no stranger to these lands; much blood has been spilt on these frozen steppes and plains, enough to fill a great sea. The Atmorans were the first men to come to Skyrim. In short time, they made war with the Snow Elves, ceasing this land by arrow and blade. Since then many battles have been fought and will continue to be fought, as this civil war promises. The empire, the main fount of humanity, has made grudging peace with the Aldemari Dominion in order to save their power. This threw Skyrim into upheaval and paved the way for the Stormcloaks and their rebellion, thus concluding the current state of affairs.'_

The vixen's head was buzzing with all the new vocabulary.

Parthanax, sensing this, began to explain in more detail. _'The race of men is the most prominent in Tamriel, mer coming in close second. Both are closely related, although neither would ever willingly admit the fact. I imagine they will look strange to your eyes, you will see of what I speak once we arrive at High Hrothgar. There is one who will help you, Arngeir, my most trusted pupil. He will explain the world in greater detail. I must go back to the peak of the mountain and reflect.'_

' _Reflect?'_

' _Yes, my defeat at Alduin's claws has reminded me of an old flaw I thought faded with time. I must confront this part of myself if I am to be of use when the Dragonborn comes to speak with me.'_ Parthanax was afraid that he would revert to his old arrogant ways. He had worked hard to atone for the sins of his past and change himself.

Krystal was uncertain at the prospect of the dragon leaving. She had already lost her home; she did not want to lose the only thing she knew here.

' _Do not fret little fox. My pupils we see that you are well cared for and I will remain in contact with you through the use of our conjoined clairvoyant powers. I will be able to speak with you, from anywhere in Skyrim.'_

' _Okay….'_ That was relieving to hear.

' _We will speak on this in greater detail at a later date for we have arrived. Open your eyes young one, the throat of the world is a sight few get to experience on the back of a dragon.'_

Krystal steadied her breathing and forced her eyes open. As she laid them on the frosted peak of the immense mountain, she found all her fears laid to provisional rest at the grandiose sight standing high in front of her.

' _It's breathtaking!'_

Faint grey mist hugged tight to the cragged summits of the snowy mount and the light from the golden sun glinted of its unyielding spires. Such a magnificent pinnacle of rock could have only been sculpted by the hands of a god.

' _Indeed, after the war and Alduin's defeat I came here to mediate in an effort to come to terms with all I had done. I found its peak to be the finest place to contemplate my decisions in life. If you sit upon the very top of the mountain you will experience such a silence as you will never find anywhere else in all of Tamriel. So quiet all you will hear is the sound of your body and the harmony of the world. I found my peace here, instituted my order on it.'_

' _Such a serene place….'_ Krystal found the beautiful sight soothing, and could feel herself relax. Her sharp eyes spotting a structure under the peak, a grand formation of stone and mortar, _'is that High Hrothgar?'_

' _Correct young fox, the monastery where my pupils practice the way of the voice. It's not a place of comfort, but of thought. Mayhaps you will reap the benefits during your stay. I will set down in the courtyard and speak with Arngeir. Stay close for the moment.'_

The pale gold dragon tilted into a shallow dive and gently glided down to the wide yard at the rear end of the monastery. As they neared, Krystal could pick out four figures standing by the doors.

With a tremor, Parthanax landed next to an arch with a path leading up to the mountain's summit. The dragon leaned forwards, allowing Krystal to slip off to the cobbled ground. The vixen stamped her hindpaws to get her blood flowing and puffed hot air from her lungs into her palms, rubbing her paws together for warmth as she watched one of the robed figures approach the dragon.

He was a curious looking fellow, mostly absent of fur with a thick greying bush hanging from his flat face. She could tell he was old by the winkles in his pale skin and she noticed a pair of rounded ears on the sides of his head.

The man stopped in front of the dragon and bowed, glancing briefly at the stranger standing beside his master. "Master, you have returned. Are you in good health?" He inquired worriedly as he took in the serpents healing wounds.

His voice was wizened with age and experience, painfully reminding Krystal of Varaduke.

" _I will live, made possible by her efforts."_ The dragon dipped his scaled snout in the vixen's direction. _"Alduin would have surely been my end if not for her."_

The robed man turned to Krystal and bowed humbly. "You have my gratitude stranger. Parthanax is the soul of our order. And his passing would have been an irrecoverable blow. What is your name?"

"I am Krystal of Cerinia, daughter of King Randorn and Queen Vera." She curtsied, a part of her ingrained manners.

"A princess…? Where is this Cerinia, I have never heard of this kingdom, nor have I seen the likes of you before."

"A conversation for another time, Arngeir. We have much more pressing matters to attend to." Parthanax cut in with a rumble.

"Of course, master." The man lowered his hooded head in acknowledgment.

" _I have failed to stop Alduin, the world eater has returned. We must halt his reign before it begins."_

"What hope do we have without the Dragonborn? They have denied our summons."

Parthanax recoiled. _"Denied?"_

"Shortly after you departure a week hence we felt the Dragonborn attain their first shout and summoned them to High Hrothgar. Yet it has been seven days and they have not appeared. I have heard that they are in Whiterun and did indeed hear the summons. However, they have dained to ignore it." Frustration leaked from the man's tone.

The dragon shook his bulky snout slowly. _"This is an ill omen. If the Dragonborn will not answer the call, Alduin cannot be defeated."_

Krystal flicked her agitated tail and grimly held onto her staff. From what she had gathered, her only hope of returning home lied with this Dragonborn. If they would not fight, she would be stuck here on this world indefinitely.

With a sigh, Parthanax continued. _"Very well, there is not much we can do about this in my weakened state I have not the strength to search for them. Arngeir…."_

He looked up.

"Master…?"

" _Lady Krystal is in need of refuge. She is far from her home with little chance of returning. Give her a room in the monastery and treat her as you would I. She is ignorant of this world, teach her. I must retreat to the peak. If the Dragonborn does come, send them to me after the trials."_ The dragon turned and began to plod up the path. _"I pray to Akatosh that they do."_

Soon, Parthanax vanished into the blizzard spinning about the mountain, leaving Krystal standing next to the robed Greybeard.

The vixen shivered and hugged herself, deeply affected by the cold. Even her thick coat of fur could not keep the bitter chill from her bones.

"Krystal…is it?"

She turned to the Greybeard. "Yes?"

"If you would come with me we can get you out of this cold and perhaps speak in greater detail. I am most curious." He gestured for her to follow and slowly headed for the other three figures and the great doors leading into the monastery.

Krystal nodded and gave one last glance to the snowstorm the dragon had disappeared into before following.

* * *

The inside of the abbey was surprisingly spacious, a huge plot in the center with a pair of branching corridors to either side. Large braziers providing light and warmth, something she was especially appreciative of.

As she studied her new temporary home, Arngeir led her to the center of the monastery and began to introduce her to the other three members of his order. "These are masters, Borri, Einarth, and Wulfgar."

"H-hello..." She greeted shyly, unnerved by their odd appearance and silent stares.

"Ah yes, they cannot speak with you. They have trained and studied with the voice for so long that to speak to one without the same power would destroy them, utterly."

Krystal meaped and nodded weakly. "I…see. Why don't you do that…destroying thing?"

"I am the order's facilitator for the people below the mountain. It would be unwise if we could not communicate with the rest of the world." He replied with a faint grin.

That made sense.

Arngeir looked to his associates and motioned with a respectful nod. "You may go back to your meditation."

The three dispersed and Arngeir turned to Krystal. "I will show you where you will be staying."

She followed the master down the left corridor to the very end where a short staircase led to a sealed room.

Arngeir walked up the steps and pushed the door open, speaking as he did so. "This was originally a store room, but it should serve as decent accommodations. It needs a little cleaning but I am afraid it was the only other room available."

Krystal entered and looked around. It wasn't so bad, just needed some work. There were a few empty shelves and chests, but beside that it was in good condition. Sure it was not what she was used to, but she couldn't have everything. At this point she would be glad to just have a place to sleep. The vixen was tired, sore, and still more than a little cold.

"You look like you need rest. I will return with some bedding you can use and we can speak more on the morrow." Arngeir ducked out of the room and Krystal listened as his footsteps faded into the distance.

Now alone, the vixen slumped her shoulders and sighed. _'I guess this is my life now. I'm probably never going to go home am I?'_ Krystal took a deep breath and squared her shoulders _. 'I'll just have to make the best of it!'_

Looking around, she sat on one of the chests and crossed her legs, soothingly petting her tail. She prayed that she had enough strength to see her through this. But most of all, she wished she didn't feel so alone. She hated the feeling of segregation, of not belonging.

With a sigh, she propped her muzzle up with a paw and gazed at the barren stone wall in front of her, studying the lattice of cracks in the ancient mortar. _'What do I do now?'_

She had no answer.

* * *

Krystal sat with her furred legs crossed underneath her and her staff balanced in her lap. The vixen took deep repetitive breaths and focused on clearing her mind of thought. Arngeir had recommended that she meditate, that it would help her ease into everything. At first she had rejected his idea as pointless, but after trying for the first time a week ago, she was starting to see the merits in his suggestion.

It has been a week since she came to the monastery on the top of the massive mountain; much of that time had been spent talking with Arngeir. He was the only one she could effectively communicate with. The other masters were polite and courtesy to her, but could not be much more than that.

In those seven days, he had told her much of the outside world. She had been warned that her appearance may result in discrimination from some of the more bigoted inhabitants of the world, a concept that was foreign to her. Her world was free of racial tension, all beings similar enough in appearance to warrant it pointless. All she could think of was the tensions between the saurians. They have come to blows many times in the past, often having to have the Cerinian Kingdom intervene before further bloodshed occurred.

She had also learned that magic was just as prominent here as back home if not more so. It was a common manifestation and many had the ability in one way or another, something different from Cerinia where only those in high standings could afford to learn the arts. Thankfully she was able to perform her magic here. She might have need of it at some point if the local discontent she had been told of was true.

It was somewhat heartening to hear that she would not be the only furred individual on the continent. Many of these khajiit she had heard of apparently lived as wandering merchants. They were felines, like the people who lived in the desert far away from the borders of her father's kingdom. Perhaps she would be able to make friends with some of them and she would not feel quite so alone.

Then there were the argonians, a race of reptiles much like the sharpclaws, but far less prone to violence from what Arngeir explained to her. She had been shocked to hear that a race of foxes called the lilmothiit had once existed but had not been seen in an age. She was curious to know if they were in any way connected to her own people but Arngeir had no answer to offer. Perhaps she should consult Parthanax? He was sure to know more.

Krystal had conversed with the dragon a few times but he was mostly preoccupied with whatever he was doing at the top of the mountain to speak for very long. She did not want to continue to inconvenience the great serpent and so she tried not to talk with him too much.

The vixen laughed softly.

Her thoughts were not very clear at the moment were they? With a sigh she opened her eyes and stood up. Maybe when her mind was more settled she could continue. For now she had some more questions for Arngeir.

She did not want to stay stranded up on the mountain. She wanted to go out there and make something of herself. Staying here only sought to continuously remind her of what she had lost. The vixen knew she sounded a little foolish, but she needed to see the world she had ended up in. And maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't be so bad here. She knew the Greybeards could hear her at night, crying into her pillow.

They had been nothing but kind to her, giving her a safe place to stay and teaching her of the world in which she now resided, but she was only a burden and the only way she would truly understand the world was to see it with her own eyes.

She turned to find Arngeir and was surprised to see him already there, standing just outside the doorway to her room.

"I had a feeling that you might wish to speak with me."

Krystal nodded and smiled softly. He always seemed to be nearby when she had questions. "I will never understand how you do that."

The old man chuckled. "No. I am afraid you won't." He entered her room and sat on the chest closest to the left wall. "Tell me, what is it you wish to speak about?"

Krystal closed her eyes and inhaled. "I want to leave." Exhaling heavily, she opened her eyes and looked to Arngeir.

The robed man nodded. "Yes, I had a feeling you would wish to set out, sooner than I expected however. But no matter, we are not holding you here. If you wish to leave no one will stop you."

She smiled gratefully. "Thank you, for everything." If not for them and Parthanax she did not know where she would be at this moment, probably frozen under a pile of snow she could safely assume.

"No thanks are needed young fox. It was the least we could do after you helped our master. I only wish there was more assistance we could offer."

"You have done more than enough."

The Greybeard hummed. "Perhaps…perhaps not, there might be one last thing I can do."

Krystal's ears perked curiously. "What?"

"It will be hard for you here. You have no connections and no one to help you outside these walls. Nor do you have any currency in which to procure supplies."

The vixen's ears drooped at that announcement.

"However…" Arngeir raised a finger. "I can be of some help in that regard. There is a man in Whiterun, a close friend of mine, one Kodlak Whitemane. I will write a missive for you to give him. He is the leader of the Companions. No doubt you remember them from one of our previous discussions."

She did, they were a group of influential and honorable warriors, around since the times of Ysgramor. She had quite a bit of this world's history memorized by now.

Krystal considered it, she did have martial training but she wasn't sure if that was the type she wanted to get involved with. She tended to lean more towards defensive strategies rather than aggression and glory seeking. And she had never really had to fight for her life. Still, she didn't really have the option of being picky. She would take what she got.

"Kodlak will take you in, give you a place to stay and you will be able to make some coin as well. It'll be dangerous work, but better than nothing. When do you wish to leave?"

"Tomorrow." She declared firmly.

"That is soon indeed. It will be hard going, climbing down the mountain, and quite a ways to Whiterun, at least a day's journey on foot. It will be even harder considering that you do not know the lay of the land. I will scrounge up a map from the archives, which should help you. I will also see that Wulfgar prepares some provisions, enough for a few days. I suggest you take the rest of the day to rest and organize yourself. Tomorrow will test your endurance." Arngeir turned and left, leaving Krystal to her thoughts.

The vixen set her staff down beside her rough cot and leaned back against the woolen mat. _'Tomorrow….'_ She turned to her side and pressed her muzzle against her pillow. _'Tomorrow will be a new day.'_

She only hoped she had the strength to see it through.

* * *

Krystal stood outside the door to High Hrothgar, her mostly exposed body wrapped up in a thick cloak to preserve against the cold. She held her staff in her right paw and a light satchel of supplies was slung across her left shoulder.

Arngeir stood to her side and held out a small rolled up scroll. "Take this and show it to Kodlak. It will explain all he needs to know."

Krystal took the scroll in her padded grip and placed it into the bag on her shoulder. "Thank you again, for everything."

"No problem young one, may your journey to Whiterun be a safe one. Master Borri has walked the path. It is safe for you to travel down. No ice trolls or frost wraiths shall bother you and the wolves have left with them. All you must endure is the cold and the steps themselves. At the end of the stairs you will arrive at a small town called Ivarstead, loop around it to the left and you will find the road that will take you to Whiterun. Do not trust anyone on the path and do not stray far from it. There are giant camps close by. They are peaceful by nature, just don't threaten them or their mammoths and you will be fine. Stay clear of the towers as well, those are breeding pits for bandits and their ilk."

Krystal shook uncertainty and steadied her grip on her staff. The world sounded so dangerous, how was she supposed to make it on her own? What if she came across bandits? Or stumbled onto a giant?

"I know you are probably feeling frightened now but I know you are a strong individual, not many could have adapted to what you are experiencing. A trip such as this will be easy. It is what comes afterwards that will prove to be most challenging. Stay true to yourself and you will be fine. Remember, if you need help we will be up here."

He was right, she would be fine. All she had to do was stay strong. "Farewell Arngeir."

"Till we meet again, Krystal of Cerinia, may the light of Akatosh shine upon you." The Greybeard bowed and turned, opening the large metal door to the abbey and closing it softly behind him.

Krystal wrapped her cloak tighter and stepped down the small flight of stairs to the snowy ground. The vixen stopped on the very first step leading off the mountain and took in the trying task before her.

' _Well, here goes nothing.'_

Thanks to Arngeir's advice she made it off the mountain and to the path without any trouble, but before she did she briefly stopped at Ivarstead to take a look at what life was like. They all had looked so different, these men and mer came in all manners of shapes and sizes. Cerinians were all mostly the same, with red or orange fur, blue being a rare trait of nobility. It was a simple farming community. She had seen many of its like back home. Krystal had been surprised when the people there had treated her amicably. Sure there had been the occasional stares and questions. But she had not been the freak show she thought they would perceive her as. If any had been weirded out it was herself. They were a strange collection of races. How could such people lacking fur survive in this harsh environment? But as she shivered under her heavy cloak they walked and talked as if the frigid air had no hold over them. These were a hardy people that much she knew.

As the vixen sat at her small campfire just off the road she stoked the fire with a charred stick. She was tired from her recent exploits, and was ready to call it quits for the day.

Thanks to the map she had been given, she was not lost. The landmarks were easy to see and the path was relatively simple to follow. So far she had not come across any bandits or giants, but she did meet a rather odd character, some sort of bard if she recalled. He had offered to sing for her, but she politely declined. Still, he had been a civil individual, even going so far as to helping her keep on track.

It had been an interesting and rough day, she spending most of it walking along the road. However the place she set up camp afforded a view of the city that was her destination, a massive walled city with a keep sitting above it all. The city could easily be home to thousands and she wondered how she was supposed to find the home of The Companions. Arngeir told her it was close to the keep, a fortress called Dragonsreach. It was a single story structure by the eastern wall by a massive statue. That was the extent of the information she had on it. She could always ask one of the hold's guards for directions.

Krystal leaned towards her bedroll when her sensitive ears detected the sharp sound of a snapping twig. The vixen snatched up her staff that she had left standing up by the fire and held it in a guard position, thinking that bandits were making their approach, intending on making her their next victim. If they thought so they would be in for a rude awakening. A fireball or two ought to show them their error in judgement.

A crackle of fallen leaves brought her attention to the trembling bushes to her left, less than a hundred feet from the fire.

"Show yourself!" She barked, trying to project a calm aura of authority.

The bush ceased its quivering and Krystal held her breath.

Slowly, a feral fox appeared from under the bush and hesitantly made its way to the center of her camp. It's fur was a deep orange, and the whiskers on its muzzle twitched as it scented the air.

Krystal giggled at her overreaction and leaned down, holding out a paw. "Hey little one, I didn't think to see any of my ancestors running around."

The four legged vulpine offered no response as it pattered up to her proffered paw and sniffed at it gently, prodding her padded palm with its wet nose.

Krystal used her other paw to slowly reach into her satchel and pulled out a pawful of dried berries, holding them out for the fox to take. "Here, you are problem a little hungry huh?"

The small fox turned its muzzle to her paw full of treats and quickly meandered over and began to pick away at the selection made available to it.

Crouching beside the friendly animal, Krystal smiled and plopped her rear down, keeping her tail well away from the placid fire behind her. "I don't suppose you know a way back home?"

The fox's ear twitched and it looked up, studying her intently with its auburn eyes.

It sneezed, showering her in a wet mist and sat down, scratching at an ear idly with one of its hindpaws.

Krystal recoiled and wiped at her muzzle. "Ugh yuck, I suppose it was a silly question."

The fox yipped and stood up, running about the camp before settling beside her bed role in small pile. The vixen could have sworn she saw it nod.

Krystal tossed a few more sticks into the fire before she slipped into her bed roll and bundled up for warmth, draping her cloak over her as further protection and snuggling up into the woolen bedding. As she drifted off to sleep, the occasional shiver crawled up her spine when a particularly cold breeze fluttered through. The body heat of one was only barely capable of keeping her warm at night.

* * *

In the morning, Krystal had been surprised to see that the fox was still there. The small vulpine had wormed its way into her blankets and was sleeping contently atop her breast, muzzle drooped over her neck. She took note that she was not cold when she awoke but rather warm, and that the fox must have been the reason.

"Thank you little one." She patted the fox on its furred head, waking it up. The small creature slipped out of the bedding and shook itself roughly before trotting off into the forest. Just before it disappeared, the fox looked back and flicked its tail, possibly waving goodbye.

She watched the fox depart and sifted through her satchel, pulling out a hunk of jerky to gnaw on and quiet her grumbling belly. Finishing her bland meal, she cleaned up her camp and packed her bag before slipping back onto the road and traveling the rest of the two hour distance to Whiterun.

Up close, the city was grander than she had expected, although the walls crumbled with age. There were a few small buildings outside the tall walls; one with a stable and couple of horses. Krystal had ridden a horse before, but she was certain that she would not be able to get one here. They were probably incredibly expensive. A small crowd was spread across the little village and she spotted a grouping of tents just to the left of the first set of gates.

As she approached, she decided to take a look. The scent she picked up from the tents was not like the others she had smelt. There were hints of sweetness and spice. She stopped by one of the shelters and saw her first khajiit.

The dark grey and black spotted feline sat cross legged just at the entrance of her tent, tail lazily meandering behind her. Sitting in front of the cat was a wide array of items up for sale, candies, farming tools, even weapons. The feline looked up and noticed Krystal, beckoning her over with a friendly grin.

"Welcome, welcome, it is not often that this one sees fellow beastfolk in this cold and unforgiving land." The female's voice was rich and colorful, giving Krystal the image of rolling dunes of sand beneath a warm glowing sun.

The vixen, now even more curious, approached the cat. She had an odd way of speaking.

"Yes, please this one invites you to sit. Let us talk."

Krystal sat down where the cat had suggested, just to the left of the feline's wares.

"What is your name? And where are you from? This one is called Ahkari from Elsweyr." The cat kept her friendly grin as she folded her paws neatly in her lap, leaning close in interest.

"I am Krystal and I am from a place far from here." The vixen dipped her muzzle in greeting, looking around at her surroundings. Although out in the open, it had a homely ambiance, as if she carried her home with her.

"This one is pleased to meet you, Krystal of the long road. This one also wishes to know what brings you to this city, if that is not too much in prying."

Krystal supposed what she was doing was not very secretive. And she was glad to be talking to another female like her. "I have come looking for work. I have a position waiting in the city."

The khajiit hummed softly and rubbed a paw under her furred chin. "This one finds that interesting, not many of our kind can find work in these lands. Many of the people here can be harsh and judgmental, although Ahkari has met some decent folk in her travels."

"I got lucky."

The cat chuckled huskily as her tail patted against the furs scattered about the floor in her tent. "So this one sees!" The feline unraveled her legs and stood up. "Come, you must meet the others."

Not seeing any reason not to, Krystal agreed and followed the cat away from her tent to the center of the camp where three other felines stood.

"This one brings a guest!" Ahkari exclaimed as she approached, grabbing the attention of the others. "This is Krystal, and she comes from the long road." The feline turned to the vixen, gesturing to the others. "This is Zaynabi. She helps this one sell goods. Dro'marash and Kharjo protect the caravan."

"Hello, nice to meet all of you." Krystal lowered her muzzle in greeting.

"What brings you out here to Skyrim?" The other female inquired.

"She has a job, in the city." Ahkari explained.

"That is a rare thing." The one that had been named Kharjo voiced. "Only in Riften have I heard of beastfolk finding work."

"Let us not speak of that." Ahkari cut it. "There are things much worthier. Please tell us more about yourself, we khajiit are always interested in a story." The feline turned. "Zaynabi, warm up the stew and set out the furs."

In short order, Krystal found herself sitting by a flickering fire with a bowl of soup placed in her paws. She was startled by the khajiits' hospitality and it made her feel welcomed. Something she had desired since she arrived here. She told them an abridged version of her story, how she needed work and a place to stay, finding both in Whiterun.

"This one thanks you for sharing your tale."

Krystal nodded. It had felt good to be able to confide in others, even if she could not speak of everything.

Ahkari set down her empty bowl and rose to her. "This one will only keep you a little longer, come."

Krystal sat up and handed her bowl to Zaynabi, following Ahkari as she returned to her tent. The feline slipped inside and Krystal heard her rummaging around before she returned with something in her paws, which she held out for the vixen to take. "Here, a gift for you. May it help in your travels."

Krystal was speechless, looking to the smiling cat as she took the medallion. It was made of gold and of rare quality if her eyes were correct. Such a thing must cost a fortune. But why would it help her? Did Ahkari want her to pawn it off? If so, she didn't think she would be able to. It was too captivating.

"I…I can't take this."

The cat huffed dismissively, waving her paw as she chuckled deeply. "Do not worry. This one has no need of it any longer. This helped Ahkari in her younger days. It will make you as tough and swift of body as any of our ancestors."

Krystal slipped the medallion around her neck and instantly felt stronger. She was hit with a sudden burst of energy, feeling as if she could run for hours and she had never felt more agile. She was confident she would be able to pass any obstacle. Never had she had something like this. It was truly an amazing gift. "Thank you, I am underserving of your kindness." She mumbled humbly.

The feline smiled. "Stay safe Krystal of the long road, may the sands of Elsweyr guide you in your journey. The caravan will depart soon, but this one will return a week from this moment. Until then…" Ahkari patted Krystal on her shoulder and walked away, heading back to the campfire and her companions.

The vixen watched her leave, a faint longing to follow in her heart but she shook it off. The city is where she needed to be. Thoughtfully running her paw across the medallion, she turned away from the caravan and passed the first gates to take her into the city.

A short walk and a drawbridge later, she stopped in front of a pair of massive oaken doors. A guard stood on either side, faces concealed behind strange conical helmets and wearing bright yellow tabards over their mail. As she approached the gates, one of the guards stepped up to her.

"State your business." He demanded in a gruff tone and fingered the hilt of his iron sword.

"I-I am supposed to meet someone in the city." She replied softly, intimidated by the heavy-handed guard.

"Really, who in the city would want to meet with one of your kind? What are you? Some sort of dog?" The guard laughed at her expense and took an aggressive step forwards.

Krystal blanched and took a step back and dropped her staff in limp paws. She was frightened and could feel all the happiness she had found since coming here fade away under the violent guard's taunts.

"Torborn, that's enough!" A voice barked and Krystal watched as a mailed hand clamped down on the guard's shoulder and roughly pulled him back, tossing him to the ground.

Krystal warily watched as the other guard approached her, waiting to see if he would prove to be the same.

Instead he reached down and picked up her staff, handing it back to her, speaking in a kind and friendly tenor. "My apologies miss, Torborn can be a fool but he is a good honest nord at heart. He just lets his heart speak before his mind."

As the guard spoke, the other grumblingly picked himself up off the floor and sullenly turned his helmet to the other.

"Isn't that right, Torborn?" The guard demanded with a bite.

Torborn nodded and sighed reluctantly. "Yes, Ragar."

"Apologize to the woman for scaring her." Ragar prompted.

"But Ragar…."

The other guard tightened his grip on his sword's hilt and tilted his helmet. "Yes…?"

Sighing in defeat, Torborn turned to Krystal. "I apologize for scaring you."

"I-It is alright." She stuttered.

"Good, now Torborn, report to the Watch Commander Caius and tell him of your misconduct."

"Yes, sir…" The guard groaned and picked up his fallen shield, entering the city through the small guard door.

As the door closed, Ragar turned to Krystal. "Now that he has been taken care of, what is the purpose of your visit?"

Krystal smiled thankfully at the kind guard. "I am here to see Kodlak Whitemane. I have a letter for him."

"Kodlak, the harbinger of The Companions?" The guard was shocked. "Then by all means miss, please enter. I am sorry for the troubles, Torborn will be reprimanded. No matter how we may feel about the other races, it is dishonorable to carry that into our work."

She nodded. "Thank you."

The guard returned her nod and stepped towards the gates and rapping on them, moments later there was a dull thump and they began to open.

As she moved towards the opening doors, the guard spoke again. "You will find Jorrvasker straight down the main street and to the left up the stairs to the courtyard. It is a fair distance to walk but you will be fine. Have a pleasant day miss."

Krystal entered the city of Whiterun and was awed by it.

It was a huge bustling settlement with crowds of people going about their day. She noticed that she was the only one with fur here and drew much attention from the crowds. Krystal threw up the hood on her cloak and followed the directions given to her by the kind guard.

Traveling through the large city took a few minutes and before long she was standing in the courtyard she had been told of. There was a giant tree in the center, but it looked withered and sick. A statue was erected in the corner and a robed man was preaching in front of it, yelling about some god called Talos. A set of stairs to her right led up to a mostly wooden building where she could easily detect the sounds of shouts and laughter.

' _That must be it.'_

Mustering herself, Krystal climbed the steps and walked towards the great hall. The vixen stopped just in front of the oaken doors and raised a paw to knock on them.


	3. Chapter 3

Stranded Beyond Hope

Chapter 2: Initiation

Krystal watched nervously as the door sluggishly opened. Standing in the entryway was a pale tall man with short raven black hair. He wore a grey suit of plated armor and had strange black paint around his eyes, which were currently in the process of glaring at her in displeasure.

"What do you want whelp?" He growled questioningly. "Only members of the companions may enter the hall."

"I-I am h-here to see Kodlak Whitemane. I-I have a missive for him." The vixen mumbled uncertainly, messily rummaging into her shoulder pack and hurriedly pulling out the scroll Arngeir had given her a day prior. She extended the rolled up papyrus for the man to see.

The man snatched the scroll from her paw and examined the seal. "This…is from the Greybeards." He shifted his inquisitive gaze from the scroll and to the vixen that had handed it to him. "A strange courier…hmm, follow me." He backed up and widened the open door, a signal for her to follow, proffering the scroll for her to takeback.

Krystal closed her pack and stepped inside, retrieving the scroll and wondering if it was too late to head back to the khajiit caravan.

The interior of the hall was an interesting sight to behold. A massive rectangular hearth filled with crackling flames lay constructed in the center and a long dining table was placed around it. Krystal thought it was rather foolish to have such a large slab of wood so close to an open flame. That was just inviting disaster.

Currently the table was occupied by a small and rowdy group of individuals. They were all yelling and laughing, gesturing to something off to the side. She shifted her muzzle and saw that two people were brawling, slinging fists at each other with abandon. They had been shouting out wagers and encouragements.

It looked absolutely barbaric. And yet…she felt her heart pound at the sounds of combat and she found herself clutching her staff tightly, claws scraping against the metallic shaft. _'How strange…'_ She shook her muzzle in consternation and twisted to the man she was supposed to be following and saw that he had a shadowy grin on his once stony features.

"Come, I am certain Kodlak wishes to speak with you." He muttered thoughtfully as he turned down a staircase she had failed to notice in her first examination of the chamber.

Krystal moved to follow and they passed a door at the bottom, entering what appeared to be the living quarters. Straight ahead of the doors was a bunk room of sorts and she could see beds lining the far wall, the rest of the room hidden by the entryway. An older woman was absently sweeping the hall and mumbling to herself as she brushed the stone floor with her bristled broom.

As Krystal and the man followed the hallway to her right, she could hear voices at the far end, two men in a deep discussion.

"You must stop your raids against the silver hand. It will enflame their ire and only seek to bolster their resolve. If this continues I fear they will strike at the heart of Jorrvaskr." The first voice was old yet strong, like aged leather.

"Kodlak, can you not see what they have done? They are nothing but honorless blackhearts! Have they not tried to slay Farkas and myself, and sought to steal a fragment of _Wuuthrad_? That is not even the most deplorable thing these monsters have done, or have you forgotten the murder of Skjor! Is that not enough to demand retribution!?" The other voice was young and powerful, projecting his passion for all to hear. "How can you calmly sit here and let these atrocities go unpunished? How can you ask me to stop after all they have done to us? Do you not feel the same rage as I?" He snarled, a sound far more bestial then she thought men or mer capable of.

The older voice responded with restraint and understanding. "Do not presume such a things young one. I knew Skjor since before you had entered this world. I feel his loss keenly, keener than any other, but there is a thin line separating honorable retribution and wild revenge, a line I fear you are close to crossing. You let your blood speak before your heart. You have taken to it, deeper than the others and if you do not control your impulses, it in turn, will control you."

The other man sighed, going silent. When he spoke again his voice was lowered to a softer tone. "I…understand. You are right Kodlak. I still have much to learn in controlling it."

Krystal and her guide stopped just outside the room where the voices had been emanating from. Inside, she could see a man with advanced age and pure white hair sitting at a small table. Standing opposite of him was a tall cloaked figure. Krystal concluded that he must be the owner of the younger voice.

"Go speak with Aela. Someone has come with a complaint about the local saber cat population. I think you can use this low level task to clear your head." The old man looked over his shoulder to Krystal and her guide. "It would appear that I have a visitor. Come speak to me when you have finished."

The other man's hood gradually lowered in understanding. "Yes Harbinger. And thank you…for helping me see."

Kodlak gave a simple nod.

The cloaked man turned to leave and Krystal managed to get a clearer look at him. His features and race lay obscured behind his concealing hood and an intricate black mask etched with silver, allowing the vixen to only see the bright pinpricks of light that were his eyes. He wore some sort of obsidian full body plated suit that molded snugly to his brawny physique and a pair of sheathed longswords was securely buckled to his left side. On his back she could see the broad hilt of a larger sword and the beginning curve of a longbow. A bandolier wrapped around his broad chest, filled with a selection of sharp looking daggers. Some sort of carry bag was slung across a shoulder and Krystal could feel several powerful enchantments suffusing the leather article. The man's presence seemed to dominate the room, power leaking from his aura. Just by proximity, Krystal felt stronger, more confident.

In her observation she noticed that the hooded man's eyes were steadily observing her through the holes in his mask, their color unknown and their intent unreadable. Her cheeks flushed and she pulled her cloak tighter to herself. For some reason she felt as if those eyes could see right through her. She felt something from this man, something that intrigued her. She could not place why, but she sensed the winds of fate itself were in some way tied to him.

Krystal sighed in relief when the eyes flashed away from her and the man walked towards the door. In his passing he shifted his mask to the man beside her and spoke in a low rumble as he dipped it in greeting.

"Vilkas…"

The other man nodded respectfully and moved out of the way, letting the stranger pass. Krystal followed him with her eyes as he walked down the hall and disappeared through the doors that would take him up to the dining hall. As he departed she could feel the sense of confidence she previously had fading the farther off he was.

' _A remarkable individual…very remarkable indeed.'_

"Tell me Vilkas, who is this you bring before me?"

Krystal turned to Kodlak, interest in the stranger temporarily displaced. The older man had risen from his seat and approached the open doors where she and this Vilkas were standing.

"She says she has a message for you, from the Greybeards themselves." The younger man prompted, signaling for her to step up with a light push to her shoulder.

Krystal nervously did, holding out the scroll. She hoped that whatever Arngeir wrote would be enough. She didn't know what she would do if he refused.

The harbinger slowly grasped the sealed document, reaching for a dagger at his side and slicing it open. He gently unfurled the papyrus and began to scan the cursive script written inside, mumbling the words silently as he did. A few moments of mute reflection and he looked up from the paper, placing it onto the table beside his bed and focusing on the waiting vixen in front of him.

"Hmm, I see. This is an interesting development. What is your name?"

"I am Krystal, of Cerinia." She replied, ducking her muzzle courteously. She tried to project a send of humility and composure.

The harbinger nodded. "And are you prepared, Krystal of Cerinia? The road to becoming a companion is not an easy one."

Behind them, Vilkas widened his eyes in surprise at what the contents of the letter must have been asking. He was curious as to what the Greybeards' interest and investment into this strange fox woman was. Why would they ask Kodlak to accept her into the companions? What was so significant about her?

Krystal thought it over quickly. She needed this, a place to stay and earn coin. That strange man had also peaked her curiosity, who was he? Staying here was her best way to answer that question and get what she needed. For that she would have to be.

"I am." She replied confidently.

Kodak nodded gravely. "Very well, Vilkas…"

"Yes Harbinger?" The man inquired.

"Take Krystal out to the yard, test her skills. If she proves herself, send her back to me."

Vilkas nodded and gestured for Krystal to follow him. The vixen turned to leave, thanking the harbinger before doing so.

"Do not thank me, not yet." He muttered somberly, gaze returning to the letter as he heard them depart. "Not yet…."

* * *

Krystal followed Vilkas to the yard at the back of Jorrvaskr. So far everything was going smoothly, although she was concerned on this test she had to perform. What if she failed? Not only would it be humiliating, but she would also lose a chance at this position. Where could she go afterwards? What place would accept her? The vixen had no desire to encounter another individual as she had at the gates. And there were sure to be plenty more out there. But if she made it here, she would be welcomed from what Arngeir told her about them. The Companions were some of the most tolerant nords in all of Skyrim and she would be able to rely on their help in the future, if she succeeded.

Outside the hall, she saw where she would be tested. There was a pair there already fighting, a black haired man similar to Vilkas and a woman with fiery red locks and green face paint. The man had a large two-handed sword and the woman was using a sword and shield. The pair clashed back and forth in the center of the yard, the crash of steel on steel littering the air around them.

As the two fought, Krystal noticed a figure walking away, heading up to what looked like a forge atop a cliff. It was that same cloaked man from before.

"We will have to wait until Aela and Farkas finish."

Vilkas interrupted her examination of the man and she turned to nod, watching as the rest of the battle played out. It took a few minutes, but Krystal had predicted the end result.

With a thwack, the woman slapped the man's sword away and hit him upside the head with the broadside of her sword, knocking him off his feet. He hit the dirt and quickly rolled back to his feet, holding his hand out for the woman to shake.

"You're losing your touch Aela. I almost had you this time."

The woman shrugged, shifting her red hair. "Perhaps, or perhaps you are just getting better Farkas." She noticed the duo standing near the awning, pulling away from Farkas and heading over.

'Who is this you bring to the yard, a newblood?"

Vilkas nodded. "Kodlak has asked that she be tested."

Aela widened her eyes slightly and turned to Krystal. "That has only happened once before. He turned out to be a judicious choice. What is your name?"

"Krystal."

"An odd one, I have not heard its like before." Farkas grumbled, sheathing his large sword.

"I'm from a place far from Skyrim."

"What brings you to our lands?"

Vilkas cut in. "Enough chatter, you can ask your questions after she passes her test."

"Right, don't let us keep you waiting." Farkas and Aela moved away, sitting under the awning to await the test's conclusion.

"Now, follow me into the yard, is that staff your weapon or do you require one of our spares?"

Krystal glanced at her staff and brought it closer. "This is my weapon."

He shrugged and headed to the wall, pulling a heavy looking rounded shield and a sword of a rack.

Krystal clutched her staff in both her paws and waited for Vilkas to continue with the instructions.

"First, feel free to take a few swings at me so I can judge your form, no magic, just pure physical prowess. Don't worry. I can take a few hits." He rolled his shoulders and brought up his shield.

The vixen shifted her legs about and moved her tail backwards to safety. She studied the man in front of her and considered where to strike, somewhere under his guard. She eyed the left corner of his shield and lunged forwards quickly, swinging up the bottom of her staff and hurtling it towards his unprotected knee.

Vilkas rapidly plunged his shield down and deflected her blow, jarring her paws. The vixen twirled to her left, smacking her staff off his shield once more. Jumping, she vaulted over him and rolled, scything her weapon towards his legs.

He jumped over her blow and twisted to face her, receiving the butt end of her staff as it jabbed him in the side and rebounded off his armor. As he stumbled backwards she brought the crown of her staff down and landed a glancing blow of his shoulder. Vilkas used the blow to twist out of range and rolled his shield up to deflect another attack.

Krystal continued her onslaught and Vilkas parried her blows as he retreated towards the wall. He surprised her on her last strike when he curved his sword around her staff and ripped it out of the vixen's grip, sending the blue and gold rod into the air. Sheathing his sword, he caught the staff.

Krystal was breathing evenly and panting slightly. Her heart beat a steady pace and she relaxed her muscles. The fight had been invigorating. It had been quite some time since she last sparred with someone. She had been a little rusty but she was glad her skills were still there.

"Impressive, you could use a little work on your precision and power, but balance and agility are exceptional."

The vixen smiled at the praise. She had not been the fastest back home for nothing.

Vilkas handed her staff back and drew his sword, backing up. "Now let's see how you handle a real fight. Come at me."

Krystal wasted no time swinging her staff at him and he deflected it with his sword, plunging the blade at her as she recovered. Alarmed, she reeled back and swiped at the approaching blade with her staff, knocking it away from its direct course. She rolled backwards and swept her staff in an arc towards his legs in a repeat move.

Vilkas stomped on her staff, pinning it to the ground and plunged his blade at her.

The vixen refused to let go and fluidly cartwheeled to kick the weapon away with her hindpaw. Still in the motion she let go of her staff and latched onto his shield, surging over him and bringing all of her weight down with her.

The shield was ripped from his grip and she swung it into him, slamming Vilkas away to crash into a weapon rack, scattering the assortment of blades and clubs across the yard.

Krystal went to where he had been last standing and retrieved her weapon, returning it to the leisurely hold she had on it before, smirking as she watched Vilkas sluggishly crawl back to his feet.

The companion groaned and found his weapon amidst the pile. He grabbed it and his shield before walking back over to her.

"It looks like Kodlak made a wise decision. You did well newblood. Next time I shall not be as lenient."

She had to refrain from rolling her eyes.

"You have passed. Speak to Kodlak, he will have more to say then I."

Krystal thanked Vilkas and headed back inside. On the way Aela approached her with a grin.

"That was excellent work. It is not often that Vilkas gets knocked down a few pegs." The woman chuckled and roughly patted Krystal on the back.

Krystal smiled and went inside.

The people here were not so bad.

* * *

Krystal returned to Kodlak and told him that Vilkas had passed her.

"I am not so surprised. I had a feeling you would. Two weeks ago a newblood arrived, and in this time he had already surpassed many who have been here for years." Kodlak confided in her as he poured himself a drink. "Now then, before you can become a full-fledged member you must complete a task alongside one of the members of the inner circle. They will see how you measure in a true trial of battle. Until them, you have earned a place here. You may take one of the spare beds in the living quarters and store any belongings you might have there."

"When is this next test?"

"Come to me on the eve of the next morning and I will have your quest." Kodlak rose from his table and extended a hand out to her. "Welcome, Krystal, to the companions."

The vixen shook his hand and smiled. She had accomplished her first step to eking out a life here. Krystal just wished she didn't have to all of this stuff in the first place. But fate seemed to have other plans for her, she wondered if she would ever be able to return home.

She thanked Kodlak, leaving him to his thoughts and going to check the place she would be staying in. The living quarters had a decent selection of beds and she decided to take the one in the very back corner, laying her bag on it and propping her staff against the wall. She examined her meager amount of possessions and frowned. She was living thread bones at the moment, moving from one place to the other. She just wished that she had a stable place to sleep. Well that and a little privacy. _'Well, I can't have everything.'_ She thought with a sigh.

The vixen's stomach gurgled, reminding her of her body's need to eat. She giggled softly, resisting the sudden urge to cry.

Varaduke had often forgotten to eat.

What had happened to that old fox? She hoped that he was safe and sound back home and not stranded somewhere in this world or another. He would not be able to survive for long on his own. He suffered from a weak constitution. She missed the wizened old vulpine.

But more than that, she missed her parents.

Without them she felt so vulnerable, so lost. She missed her father's comforting presence and her mother's depthless kindness. She knew that her mother would have known what to do in a situation like this and she prayed that she would have the same strength.

She had no idea how long she had been brooding until she heard a voice.

"Hey, newblood…."

Krystal looked over her shoulder and saw a woman standing in the doorway of the quarters.

"It is time for the midday meal, if you're hungry."

The vixen was not about to turn down a meal. Her previous tests had kindled her hunger and she wanted something harder to satisfy it. She nodded and the woman left.

Krystal rose from the bed and slipped out of the room, heading up the stairs and into the main hall. The center table was populated with everyone she had seen since she arrived, all accept the strange man that is. She noticed that he had returned from wherever it was he left and had chosen to sit at one of the smaller tables far from his fellow boisterous companions. As they caroused and consumed the feast spread out before them, he silently ran a whetstone across one of his blades, hidden eyes intently examining the cold streel. The clear high pitched tone of the rock sliding across the blade added a solemn ambience to the otherwise rowdy hall.

The vixen stopped at the top of the stairs, watching the man as he worked. Why was he so different than the others? So far all of the companions she had met were sociable and unruly. He was their exact opposite, silent and intense.

Her observation continued as he pulled the stone away and examined the newly sharpened blade, running a gloved thumb leisurely over the honed edge. With a discreet nod he rotated the hilt in his grasp and sheathed the blade with a hiss, leaning back into his chair and folding his black and silver plated arms over his chest, his hooded visage staring thoughtfully into the hearth's sizzling flames.

Krystal could feel the man's pensiveness, requiring little help from her powers. He did not look like the man that had been in a shouting match with Kodlak early that day. She idly wondered if this is what he truly was like. Why did he interest her so?

With a shake of her muzzle she headed towards the table, spotting Aela sitting near the head on the left side. Since she was a woman and had been relatively friendly, Krystal chose to make her seat by her side. The vixen pulled out the chair and slid in. Moments later, an elderly woman, the same that had been sweeping the floor previously, laid down a large dish in front of her, piled up with food. She thanked the woman and looked at the spread laid out before her, muzzle watering at the delectable sight.

Her plate was heaped high with a thick venison steak, a baked tuber, and what appeared to be some sort of dumpling. Krystal picked up the utensil at her side and dug in, looking to Aela as she did so.

The woman was absolutely wolfing down her meal. It was…unsettling.

Aela took a drought from the goblet beside her plate and turned to look at Krystal, an open grin lying on her face.

"Hello there newblood, I heard that Kodlak accepted you. Three cheers for our newest member!" She raised her goblet in the air and Krystal watched in embarrassment as the others on the table took up her call, shouting the vixen's name. And yet, even as she felt self-conscious she could not help but smile at their actions. It was nice to be recognized. And she felt more comfortable around them. They were not exactly what she was used to, but they were far from terrible.

Krystal once more looked away from the enthusiastic table and towards the silent man. He had not participated in their cheers and she was unsurprised to see him sharpening his other longsword.

"Pay no mind to Fenris. He has always been like that, since as long as any of us have known him." Aela explained as she noticed the object of Krystal's attention.

"Fenris?" She inquired, having finally put a name to the man. "Why is he so…different?"

Aela adopted a thoughtful expression.

"Fenris is of a different breed, one who prefers his solitude. He is an individual of few words. That aside he is still an honorable warrior and one of the finest to join the companions in living memory. Few have slain a dragon, and even fewer have lived to tell the tale."

"He killed a dragon?" The vixen gasped in wonder. She easily recalled the fight she had witnessed between Parthanax and Alduin. For anyone to be able to combat such creatures was beyond extraordinary.

"Indeed, this was shortly before he joined the companions. One of the ferocious serpents had attacked the watchtower outside the city and he and a contingent of guards went to intercept. The guards did not survive, but he did, returning covered in blood and a dragon's skull mounted on his horse."

"It is a tale worth telling!" Farkas boomed, the drink in his hand sloshing as he gestured with it. "The whole city heard the battle, the roars of the dragon, the clash of steel, and the ground's final tremor as the great beast fell from the sky, its hide rent by many a blade stroke and pierced by a hail of arrows. It was a glorious day. I only wish that I had been there to partake. Alas, I was already away on a quest, and missed it all."

That certainly sounded impressive.

"I cannot recall the last companion to slay a dragon in our history." A woman at the opposite end of the table wondered.

"The last companion to slay a dragon was sometime during the dragon war, Najda." Vilkas informed her.

"You would know brother. Vignar is the only one who rivals your understanding of our history. You spend more time in the pages of a book then battle I fear." Farkas chuckled, the rest of the table soon following.

"If you believe that to be true, why don't you put that to the test?" Vilkas suggested. "I would be glad to dissuade you if that thought."

"Perhaps another time, for now let us drink to our newblood, she who bested you in the ring!" Farkas gave one last rebuttal for them to laugh at.

A goblet was pushed into Krystal's paw by Aela and she watched as they toasted her again. Not wanting to feel left out she tipped the contents of the chalice into her waiting muzzle. Whatever it was that she had been given, it was tasty. She could taste the faint tinge of alcohol but it was overpowered by the mellow essence of honey and a spice of some kind. The vixen quickly downed the entire contents and placed the empty goblet onto the table, her head spinning slightly. There might have been more alcohol in the drink than expected.

' _This is good.'_

Her goblet was not empty for long, the woman from before topping it up.

Enjoying the heady drink, Krystal drained half the goblet as she listened to the others boasts of their past and recent exploits, stories that many had heard countless times, but continued to tell and listen.

The vixen had little experienced with alcohol, only having consumed few beverages of its like during special occasions back on Cerinia. So she was unprepared for the effects of drinking more than a cup. Her muzzle became flushed and she panted softly in the hot environment so close to the fire, feeling the heat more than before. She quickly discarded her cloak, draping it across the back of her chair to relieve some of the heat. A pleasant feeling floated in the front of her thoughts, few of which were focused on her home.

' _Th-This place…es…not so bad.'_ She decided as she looked for her drink, she wanted a little more of that pleasant flavor. She reached a paw over the table and to her drink. As her paw found it, she knocked it over, spilling the remaining liquid onto the already disordered and messy table. The others were similarly along in their consumption but they had more experience with being tanked-up and were still mostly lucid.

She frowned sadly. _'Aww, I kn-kn-knock…dropped it.'_

Krystal decided had enough for now and pulled her chair back to stand up. As she made it to her hindpaws the world and her senses spun sending her stumbling to the ground. She would have smacked her muzzle against the warm stone of the longhouse but she was suddenly swept up in a pair of strong hands.

"I think you have had enough for one night, fox." The man cautioned as he stopped her from keeling over.

"Th-thank you..." Krystal mumbled in gratitude, trying to stand up on her own and failing. The vixen tripped, falling roughly against the man's chest. "I c-can walk on my own."

"Sure…." The man sounded wholeheartedly unconvinced.

As she tried and failed to walk on her own for the fifth time she heard the man sigh, the gust of warm air from his lungs tickling her triangular ears. She felt one of his hands brush down her back and over her firm rear and bushy tail, following the curves of her slender legs as the other traveled upwards. Krystal shuddered at the intimate contact and reddened.

What was he doing?

Once his hand was under her knees he smoothly lifted the vixen into the air, holding her close to his solid torso and supporting her back gently, letting her legs dangle uselessly in the air. Krystal's slow mind at last realized that he was going to carry her.

"Thanks…" She muttered weakly, holding tightly onto his arms to steady herself. The world still felt as if it was spinning on a top.

The man offered no response and journeyed away from the table and to the stairs. He carried the plastered vixen down the steps and through the door, heading towards the living quarters.

Krystal was surprised to find that she felt comfortable in his arms. More content at that moment than in any bed she had slept in since she arrived on this world. She sleepily burrowed her muzzle into the crook of his arm and rested it on his solid muscles, a faint purr rumbling from her chest. The vixen's tail lazily fluttered against his waist and she wrapped her arms around his to get more comfortable.

The man shook his head at the sight and stopped at the bed she had placed all her stuff on. He methodically shook his arm to relinquish it from the vixen's tight grip, using it to clear the bed and pull the furs back. The task took him a few minutes but he finally managed to get her into the bed and off of him, the last part of his body attached to her being his right arm.

As he moved to remove his limb, she wrapped her paws around it and buried her muzzle into his palm. "Wait, please don't." She murmured drowsily, nuzzling his hand affectionately, not wanting the feeling of safety and security to leave. "Don't leave me." Krystal whispered fiercely, holding onto him like her solitary lifeline.

The man gazed down at the vixen and inhaled deeply. With a heavy sigh he lowered himself to the ground beside her bed, leaning against the cold bricks of the stone wall. The sconces in the room had died out long ago, leaving the chamber shrouded in darkness.

Krystal smiled softly, rubbing a paw across his hand as she drifted off to sleep. Just before slumber claimed her, she risked a peek and caught a glimpse off a pair of warm golden orbs hovering isolated in the darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Just a real quick note addressing Mangahero18's concern. I know that she is from a different world, I merely changed things to suit this stories purpose. And thanks for the reviews, they're much appreciated!**

Stranded Beyond Hope

Chapter 3: Beginnings

Krystal woke up to the sound of her stomach emptying.

With a groan she heaved into the bucket sitting beside her bed. Her stomach felt like curdled milk and her mouth was fuzzy and dry, which did not help her pounding headache. Thankfully, there had been a bucket placed next to her bed, otherwise this would have been a much harder mess to clean. Once she had finished voiding the remnants of her last meal, she lethargically sat up, looking around the quarters and wiping her muzzle.

The other beds in the chamber were empty, and the torches had been relit. She couldn't judge what time it was since she was underground, but it had to at least be the next day. Her gaze transferred to her left and she noticed that a glass jug of water had been placed on the table next to the bed and what looked like a small burlap bag tied with a leather cord, a handwritten note sitting beside the stein.

Put this in the water.

Krystal did as the note suggested, pouring the silvery powder and watching as the clear liquid turned a rosy pink. She hesitantly drank from the jug and was surprised when her aches began to fade and her stomach settled. The vixen eagerly downed the rest of the potion and sighed in relief, turning to look at the note.

Memories of the previous night swiftly flashed in her mind, at least what she could remember. Most of the previous evening was still incoherent. But something shone through her muddled recollections. Someone had helped her, someone with golden eyes.

The vixen studied the paw she had used to caress the stranger's hand, running her other paw across the black pads, the man's golden eyes lingering in her mind. She wished that she knew who helped her so that she could properly thank him. She had appreciated the fact he stayed until she fell asleep, more than he probably realized.

She also appreciated all the things he had left for her, it made her awakening far less unpleasant.

Krystal slipped out of her bed and picked up her stuff. Kodlak had wanted to speak with her and she hoped that she was not late. The vixen quickly departed the chamber and headed to Kodlak's room across the hall. The door was closed and so she softly knocked upon it.

Within a few moments, the harbinger bade her to enter.

The timeworn man was once more sitting at his desk, steadily writing into some sort of book. Krystal was curious as to what it was he was writing.

He looked up to see who it was and smile warmly.

"Good morning. I trust your awakening was pleasant?" Kodlak smile shifted into a knowing grin.

Krystal winced. "It could have been better."

"I don't doubt that." The harbinger chuckled and slowly closed the tome he had been scribbling in, placing it into a drawer of his desk. "Are you ready for your next test?"

She nodded fervently. Krystal was eager to do something to counter the thoughts of her past. Her home was out of reach, perhaps permanently. And dwelling on it would not help her in any way. It would be best to place them aside. Doing this job would help.

"So eager, I hope that you truly are ready, for it will not be an easy task. But do not worry. You will not be venturing alone."

"What is the task?" She wondered. Krystal hoped that it would not prove to be too difficult.

"We have heard word that one of the final fragments of _Wuuthrad_ was unearthed in a burrow two days journey north of Whiterun. You and your mentor will seek out this tomb and recover the piece. Bring it back to me and your final test will be complete." Kodlak pulled out a small map, handing it to her. "This will show you the way, the burrow has been marked on it."

She nodded and retrieved the map. It didn't seem like such a bad quest. All they had to do was walk in, grab the piece, and walk out.

It would be easy.

"A message of warning however, the draugr killed the miners and now guards the tomb. You will have to fight through them in order to reach the fragment. Once you have it return to me and you will receive your reward."

Krystal's confidence took a steep dive.

Or not…

"I can see you are nervous about this. Do not be, I have chosen one of our best to go with you. Stick to their side and you will be fine." Kodlak explained in an effort to placate her concerns. "Your mentor will be waiting for you outside of Jorrvaskr for when you wish to depart."

The vixen nodded and left Kodlak's room, and heading upstairs. The morning mead hall was mostly deserted, with only the old woman from before dusting the halls shelves and tables. Judging from all the times Krystal had seen her, she must be Jorrvaskr's caretaker.

Krystal retrieved her cloak from the chair she had used last night and wrapped it around her shoulders. It would be cold outside of the city's walls and she wanted to be prepared. There were a few sweet rolls on the table and she snatched one, quickly scarfing it down and grabbing one more for the road.

Licking her chops and savoring the sweet aftertaste of the confectionary treat, Krystal brushed the crumbs off her muzzle and fiddled with the straps of her satchel as she headed towards the hall's main doors, wondering who her mentor would be. Maybe it was Farkas, or Aela? But the odds were that it would be Vilkas, since he was the one to test her previously.

The vixen pushed the heavy doors open and stepped out into the shady morning air. The sun was hidden behind a thick layer of grey clouds, depriving her of most of its light and heat. From the looks of it, this day was going to be a rainy one.

She hoped it wouldn't. Krystal was not equipped for rainfall of any sort. It would soak through her cloak and penetrate her thick coat of fur. The skimpy clothing she wore was not made for this land's weather. Once night comes she would freeze.

Her cloak fluttered in the terse breeze and the vixen hugged it tighter to herself. As Krystal stood there, she scanned the area in front of Jorrvaskr for any sign of her mentor, but they were nowhere to be seen.

Grumbling, she tapped her staff against the cobbled stone. "Where are they?"

"Being deaf to one's own surroundings will bring about a swift death."

Krystal yipped in surprise and whipped her muzzle to where the unexpected voice had emanated from.

A figure materialized out of the mead hall's shadow, less than a meter from where she stood. From their armor and appearance the vixen realized that it was Fenris.

Was he her mentor? And how had she not noticed him? She prided herself on her acute senses and should have detected him if he had been so close.

The man strode towards her, stopping a few feet away, the faint scent of weapon oil and cured leather wafting past her nose.

"Kodlak has explained to me that you are attempting your final trial?" The man inquired, his etched mask regarding her with interest.

"Yes, I have to retrieve a fragment of _Wuuthrad_ from a burrow two days north of here." Krystal shied away from his odd gaze, turning her own to the cityscape before her, seeing the man nod in her peripheral.

"Ah yes, I have heard of it. I was to take this quest before your arrival. Let me see the map." The man held out one of his gloved hands.

Krystal passed it to him.

He briefly examined the diagram before stuffing it into his bag and walking past her, motioning over his shoulder. "Follow me." And with that he began to head down the stairs and into the city.

Krystal, slightly baffled, followed after him.

The hooded man passed the courtyard with the tree and headed towards the market district, the vixen in close pursuit. Even though she was tall and graced with long legs, Krystal found it difficult keeping up with his unwavering stride. The crowd seemed to part before him, eyeing him with reverence. She locked on to his black cloak, using it as a landmark so she would not lose him in the sea of bystanders.

With a burst of stamina she caught up with him, walking by his side. As they weaved through the crowd she occasionally glanced up into his hooded visage, trying to see past his black mask. Krystal was curious as to what laid behind it. What did he look like?

"What is your bust size?"

The question caught Krystal off guard.

"What….?"

"Your bust size, what is it?" The man repeated simply, turning a corner and heading down a street.

Krystal blushed and subconsciously closed her cloak around her body. What kind of question was that?

"Excuse me!" She barked in indignation.

He ignored her outburst.

"No matter, we can solve that later."

They arrived at the gates and instead of heading through them he took a detour, stopping in front of a two story building with a sign depicting a smithy.

Warmaiden's as she read the name.

Still a little incensed at his insensitive question, she reluctantly followed him inside.

The shop had a fireplace on the western wall and a few tapestries hung about with no real order that she could see. A counter sat at the far end and a pair of humans were standing behind it, a man and a woman. The man had a grand black beard and fair skin, a nord she would guess. The woman had a tanned complexation and Krystal was uncertain as to what race she was.

"Ah, Fenris, what brings you back to our humble shop!" The bearded man inquired.

In response, the cloaked man stepped up to the counter. "I need some armor."

"What need you have of our wares? What you have now is better than anything we have in stock."

"Ulfberth, I need a special order made, for a female."

The man behind the bar looked over Fenris' shoulder and spied Krystal standing by the doorway. She was not sure what exactly was going on and she was too shy to approach them.

"Ah I see. This is a job better suited for my wife."

Ulfberth backed up from the counter and turned to head to the back room, quickly replaced by the woman. She looked between Fenris and Krystal with a raised brow, propping her hands on her waist.

"What's this all about?"

"Girl needs better protection then that if she's going to survive out there." Fenris rumbled simply.

The woman examined Krystal, seeing what she wore under her cloak, and nodded.

"Yes, she is. It just so happens that we have some leathers in stock, enough for two suits. But it'll have to be sewn and she'll have to be fitted.

Krystal did not like the sound of that.

"That's fine, but I want a custom job, better than anything else. Do I pay upfront? Price is no object."

The woman shook her head.

"Can't, won't be able to say how much until the work's done."

He nodded.

"Acceptable, when can you start?"

"I have some other orders going, but I can work you in today, but final product won't be done till tomorrow, maybe the next day if I get swamped by my other orders."

"That'll be fine. What do you need?"

"Just her over there..." The woman replied, gesturing to Krystal.

The vixen blanched and slowly approached. She was still not sure what was going on, but she did not like the sound of it.

"Don't be nervous girl. This'll be simple and fast. I just need you to take some measurements."

Krystal nodded cautiously and the woman guided her past the counter and to a small room to the side.

"I'll be outside." Fenris turned and disappeared through the front doors, his task complete.

Krystal immediately found herself missing his presence, he was less of a stranger than this woman. She watched the doors as the woman took her through a different set. The room they were now in had a partition, a mirror, and a shelf on the right side.

"How about we start with introducing ourselves? My name is Adrianne Avenicci." She maneuvered Krystal to stand in the center of the room by a life sized figurine of a female body.

"M-my name is Krystal." She replied in turn, shifting her hindpaws nervously. Krystal had been fitted a few times before, but this time she felt vulnerable. The woman was a complete stranger to her.

Adrianne easily picked up on the vixen's anxiety. "It's alright Krystal. This won't take long. I just need your measurements for the armor."

That was another thing. When had she agreed to this?

"Stand here please."

Krystal moved to stand beside the mirror, gazing gloomily into her reflection. She had changed since coming here. Her eyes were bagged from restless nights, her once proud features were haggard by hardships, and her fur was made unkempt from her rough travels. This land had taken its toll. The vixen wondered how much more it would take. As soon as she was able she wanted to wash herself and get cleaned up.

"Okay, now I need you to disrobe."

She turned to Adrianne with an uneasy frown. She did not like the idea of undressing here. The vixen felt vulnerable enough.

The other woman chuckled. "It's perfectly alright. We both have the same parts, girl. And I can't do a very good job if you keep all this on."

Krystal's frown deepened, but she did as asked. She tentatively shed her cloak and reached her paws behind her back, unclipping the brassiere and gingerly dropping it to the floor beside her. With her breasts exposed she covered them with a paw and slid out of her loin cloth, covering her nether region with the other. Now standing completely exposed, she waited for Adrianne.

Adrianne grabbed an item from the shelf and returned, a measuring tape in hand. She moved behind Krystal and unspooled a few feet. "Move your hand please."

Krystal reluctantly did as instructed and felt the woman as she moved the tape around. The vixen did her best to ignore it.

While she toiled, Adrianne made small talk.

"So…how do you know Fenris?"

Krystal shook her muzzle, a rueful frown covering it. "I don't really. I only truly met him today. He is to help me on my quest."

Adrianne hummed. "That's interesting, because he's going out of his way to help you. A custom job like this is typically pretty pricy, this being no exception. And it seems strange for him to go through all this effort for someone he doesn't know."

Krystal considered what she had said. It did seem strange. Why would he go through all this effort? This day was her first time actually speaking with him, and they had only exchanged a few words. There was no reason for him to do this. What had he to gain? She had no idea what his motivator was, but she was curious to find out.

"Hold your arms up please."

'Oh right…" Krystal shook of her thoughts and moved her arms, letting the woman wrap the tape around her bust.

* * *

By the time Adrianne finished measuring her, Krystal was tired of standing up. Adrianne had been very thorough, measuring more than once to ensure she was accurate in her calculations. Krystal dressed back into her clothes and bid Adrianne goodbye.

Departing the room, she stepped through the shop and out to the city, quickly spotting Fenris patiently standing on the opposite end of the street. The man was leaning against a signpost, casually resting a gauntlet on the hilt of a sword.

"All finished?"

Krystal huffed and folded her arms, glaring at him crossly. She was not happy with him at the moment, forcing her to go through that embarrassing experience.

He took her displeasure in stride. "Good. It'll take a day or so before your armor is ready, until then we'll have to stay in the city. Are you hungry?"

She was surprised that he asked, or that he was even interested in her wellbeing. The vixen supposed she was hungry. The sweet roll from earlier was not very filling and she wanted to save the other. But there probably wasn't any food out back at the hall. And she didn't really feel like heading back until she finished her quest.

Krystal nodded.

Fenris leaned off the signpost. "The Bannered Mare is a fine place to sate ones appetite." With no other words, he started to move.

Sensing a pattern, Krystal sighed and reluctantly followed him.

The Bannered Mare was a huge three story inn and even as she approached Krystal could hear the patrons and sounds of music. It looked like lively place and the vixen's tale wagged in excitement.

Fenris opened the door and let her enter, following behind her.

The first floor was dappled with tables and benches around a large fire in the center, the scent of cooked meat and ale filled the open expanse. A man stood near the center of it all and was singing as he strummed some sort of instrument. Krystal picked up on the words and realized he was signing a song about the Dragonborn. Reminding her of the reason her chances of getting home were slim.

She heard Fenris chuckle scornfully behind her.

"Come, let's find a table."

They found a table near the back, away from the more rowdy elements of the inn. The cloaked man pulled the chair out for Krystal in a sudden display of chivalry that surprised her.

She smiled.

"Thank you."

He nodded silently and took his seat.

The inn was pleasantly crowded tonight, the barmaids busy serving the hefty numbers of patrons. Krystal anticipated that it would be some time before they managed to get to her and Fenris who would be a lower priority. This gave Krystal time to study her silent mentor.

Fenris sat across from her, all aspects of his demeanor hidden behind his carved mask. His gauntlets sat idle on the wooden tabletop and his hooded form attentively scanned the inn's environment. The silence between them grew uncomfortable, at least for her.

It was then the Krystal decided that he was not much of a conversationalist.

The vixen liked to talk with people. She enjoyed socializing, and he was making it rather difficult to do that. With an awkward cough, she tried to clear the air.

"So…Fenris…why did you join the Companions?"

She watched as his mask shifted to her, the bright pinpricks of light behind it staring into her eyes. It made the vixen somewhat uncomfortable.

"Why do you wish to know?" He retorted simply, an air of guarded curiosity in his tone.

"I just thought we should get to know each other since we would be traveling together for some time." She replied, scratching at her arm nervously, confused as to why he was making her act like this. This man seemed to easily manage riling up her emotions.

Fenris pulled his gauntlets away from the table and dropped them out of sight. He remained silent as he mulled something over. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he shrugged and leaned forwards, placing his elbows back on the ale stained table.

"I joined same as any of the others, for battle and honor."

He sounded sure of himself, but Krystal could detect the doubt lingering inside him, and something else…anger? This made her curious as to what the truth may be. But she didn't know him nearly well enough to pry and so she nodded in acceptance.

"Why did you join?"

Krystal grinned. That was an easy one to answer.

"I needed a place to stay and earn some coin."

"Seems like a dangerous way to fulfill both needs." It was hard, even for her sensitive ears, but she could hear the dim tenor of amusement in his voice.

"I was not given much choice."

"Ah, neither do many people in this land. Skyrim is a hard place and it will devour you if you are not vigilant, as it did my parents." He nodded grimly.

"What happened to them, your parents?"

"A personal inquiry there, fox, but I will answer." Fenris replied with a cynical chuckle as he leaned against his chairs back.

Krystal winced, realizing that she might have overstepped her bounds with that question. Her curiosity often got the best of her.

"My father fought for the empire in the legion and my mother died giving birth to me. On my fifth naming day, he was officially discharged and we left Solitude to make the journey to our family's home here in Whiterun. But on the third day we were attacked by bandits. He was killed and I was left to die in the frozen tundra."

Krystal could decipher no change in the man's voice as he recounted his tragic past and his expression remained unreadable with that mask in the way. She could not imagine having to live through that. Krystal felt sympathy for him, wanting to reach out and comfort his soul. But she could not get herself to do it. Something held her back. She was hesitant to touch him.

"That's terrible."

Fenris shrugged humbly. "As I said, Skyrim is a hard place. My miserable story is just one of many. Now with this civil war I can safely assume it won't be the last. War is in this land's blood. The people here are no stranger to its effects."

"If I may…how did you survive?"

Fenris for once sounded distracted, absorbed in his past. "I was picked up by a khajiit trade caravan making its way to Whiterun. They took me in and cared for me till they arrived. The caravan master treated me well, like family. So when it came time for them to leave, I left with them. I had nothing left anyways, having been orphaned by the bandits."

Krystal had a thought. "Was it Ahkari's caravan?"

Fenris flinched, almost imperceptibly, replying defensively. "How do you know them?"

"They were outside the city when I arrived yesterday. She bid me stay awhile and answer some questions. Then she gave me this and sent me on my way." Krystal showed him the medallion.

"Yeah, that certainly sound like the motherly feline I know. Tell me, how is she?" For once he seemed eager to speak.

Krystal was happy to indulge him, glad to have made some headway.

"She looked to be doing perfectly fine when I saw here."

He nodded slowly and exhaled in relief. "That is good to hear. I always worry about her, especially with this rebellion. I fear that the Stormcloaks may try and ravage the caravan."

The vixen hoped that wouldn't happen. She liked Ahkari and the other khajiit. They seemed like good enough people.

Suddenly, Krystal realized that she had been talking with Fenris, and having a pleasant time, her thoughts drifting away from her home and her worries. She gazed into the man's obscuring mask. Who was this man that made her forget so easily?

She was finding herself to be comfortable around him, an odd position considering how long she had actually spoken with and gotten to know him.

"So…what can I get you two?"

Krystal turned to see one of the barmaids standing by their table, holding an empty tray in one hand and a pad in the other.

"I am not hungry, what do you want?" Fenris turned to her.

"I don't know…" She was unaware of what they had here. "Something with meat I suppose."

The barmaid nodded and turned away, heading back into the crowded center of the inn.

Fenris resumed his silence after the barmaid departed and held it until Krystal finished her meal and they exited the inn.

Thankfully the cloud cover had retreated and the sun's warm light shone down on the city. Krystal hazarded a guess that it was sometime during midday, and wondered what it was they were going to do now. Fenris had said they would not be leaving the city until her armor was complete, which made her think.

Why had he done that?

He had no obligation to help her beyond her quest, no obvious compulsion to help.

As she followed him through the city, eventually her curiosity became too much.

"Fenris, why did you do that?"

The man hummed a response as he kept walking.

"Why did you order something for me?"

He shrugged.

"My job is to watch over you until your quest is complete. With what you have now, a skeever could be potentially lethal. And someone of my experience could slay you without effort."

Krystal took offense to that.

"I bet I could take you."

He froze mid-step, turning to her with an air of disbelief.

"Is that so?"

She nodded confidently. She managed to beat Vilkas and she was sure she could beat Fenris as well. Maybe then he would treat her like a real woman. The vixen felt an odd desire to impress him.

"Care to prove yourself?"

She nodded again.

Fenris chuckled.

"Very well…"

He increased his pace and switched streets, taking a path that led back to Jorrvaskr. He directed the way to the sparing ring behind the hall and bid her stand on the opposite side as he took his position.

"Let us see what you can do, little fox."

Slowly, he unsheathed one of his longswords. It was a strange weapon, with a curved hilt and long slender black blade. He rotated it in his gauntlet a few times and held it to his side.

Krystal scoffed. He didn't even have a shield and he wasn't using his other weapon. She was certain that she would be able to beat him. The vixen removed her cloak and griped her staff in both paws.

"You're move."

Fenris took a short step back.

She lunged forwards, intent on cracking the top of her staff against his mask.

Fenris leaned back slightly, letting the crown of her weapon rush centimeters past his hood.

Narrowing her eyes, Krystal whipped her staff around her head and brought it scything down to his waist. Her speed ensuring that she would land her blow.

Yet once more, Fenris shifted and dodged the strike, almost faster than she could detect.

With a snarl she slid forwards, aiming for his legs…

And she watched as he took a swift step back, her staff hitting nothing but air.

Krystal leapt to her paws and lanced out a foot to try and catch him by surprise. He did not move to dodge it and she felt a surge of satisfaction. Now she had him!

She felt a jarring impact as her foot collided with his gauntlet, Fenris catching it mid swing. He twisted his grip and forced her to spin to the ground where she felt something cold and sharp rest against her throat.

Krystal was stunned.

' _How did he beat me so utterly?'_

"Impressive, you have the speed and skill. Yet you lack something any successful warrior needs…patience." Fenris regarded her prone form as he lifted his blade from her neck. "Before we set out, I will impart upon you the skills you will need to survive outside these walls, or at least enough so you will not fall to the first enemy to cross your path."

Fenris extended his free hand.

Krystal grudgingly let him help her up and she resumed her stance, clutching her staff determinedly.

' _I will prove myself to him.'_

The hooded man returned to his previous position.

"Now…let us begin."

* * *

Six hours of intense training later, a bruised, battered, and defeated vixen trudged after Fenris. Krystal was not pleased. Not once had she managed to land a blow on him, not once. The man flowed like liquid and struck like a viper. She was beginning to see why he had been able to slay a dragon.

But, in the last match she had been so close! Her staff had missed his arm by millimeters, but he managed to shift out of the way at the last second and slap her rear with the side of his blade.

She swore he had been smiling under that damned mask.

The area of impact still throbbed painfully and Krystal groaned as she delicately prodded it with a paw.

He had been none too gentle.

"You did well today, fox. You learn fast and move even faster." Fenris claimed as he walked down the steps of Jorrvaskr. "I can see how you managed to beat Vilkas, and you would probably be able to take on Aela. She and I have sparred a few times and I can attest to her skill."

Despite her sore muscles, Krystal could not help but pull her aching muzzle into a grin and softly wag her tail at the sound of his words of praise. She didn't know why, but hearing him applaud her skills made her feel bubbly and giddy. If someone with his level of talent said she was doing well, then it could only mean good things.

"Thank you."

Fenris shrugged as he made his way down the now deserted streets. The sun had retreated past the mountains and dusk was soon approaching. The day was at its end and though she had not accomplished anything significant, Krystal felt that she had spent it well.

"Thank yourself. It was not I that imparted your gifts upon you."

Still, the vixen persistently continued.

"That aside, I still wish to thank you, for what you have done."

She was referring of course to his expenditure on better gear for herself, as well as giving her extra training. She knew that others offered such teachings for a price, and he had done it for free. Krystal was still broke, not having a single coin to her name. She would not have been able to afford any of what he had done for her.

Fenris paused. "….If you must continue to offer your thanks, I will humbly accept them. I was glad to be of help."

Krystal beamed, happy to have conveyed her appreciation. She turned her attention to the fading sun's light and asked a question.

"Where are we going now?"

"Now, we rest. Chances are that we will be setting out on your quest tomorrow and I am sure you would like to sleep as much as I." He responded simply.

Krystal was in agreement. She could use a bed to rest her weary body on. But Jorrvaskr was behind them. Why were the heading into the city?

She watched inquisitively as he stopped outside a large homely looking structure a few building down from Warmaiden's. Fenris pulled a ring of keys out of his bag and flipped through them, sliding one into the lock.

"What is this place?"

"This is my house." He responded simply as the door's lock clicked and he pushed it open, holding it and gesturing for her to follow.

Inside she saw the warm light of a hearth and could scent a pleasing aroma seeping past him. As pleasant as the household looked, she was warry of following him inside. She was not sure she knew him well enough to enter his home, or trust him for that matter.

Fenris could see the hesitation on her muzzle.

"If you wish to go back to Jorrvaskr you may. I just thought you would appreciate having a private room to sleep in. I did not intend to appear as if I was propositioning you for anything illicit."

Krystal though his offer over.

She would already be spending time on the road with him, where it would be just the two of them, far from any city or other semblance of civilization. So sleeping in his home for a night or two did not sound too presumptuous. And the idea of a room to herself appealed to the vixen greatly.

"I would have no problem sleeping here." She decided, slipping in past the tall man.

Fenris nodded.

"Then, I bid you enter and welcome you to my home."

Krystal walked a few feet in and looked around curiously, wondering what a man like him would decorate his house with.

A miniature hearth lit up the first floor and a spit was centered over it. A small table was off to the side and had a place setting for one, a neat stack of dirty dishes stacked up on it. The house itself was sparsely ornamented, only having a single rug in front of the door, a dresser near the table, and a few pictures lining a shelf on the far wall. There were several rooms, all with closed doors and a staircase leading up to the next level. It was a big place for one man. The building gave of an atmosphere of loneliness. There were only enough things for one person, one set of tableware, one chair, one bureau for storing clothes, one chest for items, and the dim hardly tended hearth in the center.

She looked over to Fenris as he began to fiddle around the house with mild awkwardness. It was obvious to her that even though he was a reclusive individual, he was starved for personal connection.

"I…uh…apologize for the…uh…state of my home. I do not often…receive…uhm…visitors." He had a slight difficult with stumbling over his words as he tidied up, removing the dirty dishes from his table and clearing it of scattered junk.

It was…cute.

"That's fine." She replied kindly.

He finished clearing of his table and sighed, scratching at the back of his collared suit. "The guest bedroom is over here." He motioned towards the door to his left. "It is a little dusty, but there's a bed, a chest, a dresser, and a basin. My room is upstairs to the right and down the hall if you need anything. But…knock, before you enter." He uttered the last part pointedly, with a hint of warning. "If you are hungry, there's some dried meat, cheese, and bread in the kitchen cupboards, as well as water in the barrel."

Krystal nodded and headed towards the guest room as Fenris headed up the stairs.

She opened the room and was surprised to see that it was not as bad as he made it out to be. There was hardly any dust, and it looked like he cleaned it out regularly, even though he rarely had guests, another sign of his loneliness.

Krystal padded over to the bed and draped her satchel on the banister before undressing and slipping into the sheets, murring in pleasure as she sunk into the cushioned mattress and fluffy satin pillow.

It was definitely better than the bed at Jorrvaskr.

* * *

Krystal awoke the next day, redressing as she left the bedroom. Fenris was already awake, and wearing his armor.

She wondered if he ever took it off.

He was sitting at the table, a plate of food cooling on the opposite side. She was surprised to see that he had dredged up another chair, having placed it before the meal.

Even though she had barely made a noise, he turned to regard, and she was caught off guard, seeing his mask sitting on the table next to him.

His hood was pulled back, revealing his face to her for the first time.

Fenris was a human, with short raven black hair and alabaster skin, a strong square jaw and honest features with a thin layer of stubble around his jawline. But what had truly caught her off guard had been his eyes.

They were deep golden yellow, like a wolf's. And that's when she realized it.

He had been the one to comfort her that night.

"Good morning, there is some food here if you are interested….are you well?" He asked in puzzlement as she stood there staring at him silently.

Krystal shook her muzzle positively and nodded slowly, moving to sit at the opposite side of the table.

"Yes, I am fine."

He smiled softly. It was a warm and honest thing, bereft of any trace of deception.

"That is good to hear. I hope your rest was fine also. I know it was not the best of rooms. But it is what I had available."

"No. No. The room was perfect." She mumbled distractedly, still caught up on the startling revelation. He was the last one she had suspected, and in fact, had not even considered it. The notion was…strange. And yet she was surprised to find that she was glad to know that it had been Fenris who had stayed with her when she had needed comfort.

"Excellent, I made breakfast if you are hungry, just some bacon and eggs to fill you up, nothing special." Fenris continued, oblivious to her internal quandary.

Still disoriented, she tucked into the plate of food, occasionally glancing up at Fenris, whose attention was focused to her left, absently gazing out the window by the door.

Krystal studied him as she snapped up a piece of bacon, the savory cured meat settling pleasantly in her belly.

What was he getting from all this?

What had he to gain from doing so much to aid her?

Krystal was tempted to find out, but could not bring herself to peer into his mind. Doing so without someone knowing was a terrible offense back on her world, the ultimate breach of privacy. And she did not want to alienate herself from him or anyone else.

She had to instead content herself with not knowing for the moment.

As she finished up her meal, Fenris slipped his mask on and pulled his hood up, rising from the table as he did.

"There are a few things I would like to do before we head out, some errands that need doing. I'll be awhile. I suggest you see if the armor order is finished." He reached into his bag, pulling out a hefty bag that tinkled as he held it out to her. "This should be more than sufficient to pay for it. You may keep what remains. Call it an advance for your quest."

Krystal grabbed the heavy sack of coins and listened as he continued.

"When you are done you may come back here or explore the city, but make sure to comeback before midday. I would like to head out before the sun reaches its zenith."

Fenris exited the house, leaving her on her own.

Krystal looked to the bag of money in her paws and decided to check the armor shop first thing. She was a little excited to have coin now and eager to explore the market.

* * *

"How is the fit?"

"It fits like a glove." Krystal responded to Arianne's question happily as she twirled in front of the mirror, inspecting her new outfit.

She had been mildly surprised to hear that Arianne had finished her suit, but the woman with help from her husband had managed to put it together in record time. And despite the haste in its manufacture, the leather armor was wonderful.

It was sleeveless, so as not to compromise the full range of movement for her arms and it had a high collar lined with a thick coating of fur to help keep her warm. The hide of the outfit itself was supple yet strong, and adhered easily to her body like a second skin. Arianne had also carved designs into the leather, filling the indentations with dye, the bold streaks of white forming intricate patterns and reminding Krystal faintly of the royal family tattoos highlighted into her fur.

The boots were the perfect size and fit as well as unexpectedly comfy and were sure to be a blessing on the road.

To top it all off, Arianne also gave her a snowy white cloak, being of much better quality than the one she had previously. Then inner layer was covered in felt to help trap in her body heat, which would be vital in the frigid environment outside the city. The outer surface of the cloak was lined with waterproofing, promising a dry vixen should rain occur while they traveled.

She thanked Arianne for the clothing and paid with the bag Fenris had given her, with a hefty remainder still inside. It had been understandably expensive, costing two hundred coins, and Krystal was surprised that he had given her such an allowance left to spare, with four hundred left free for her own use.

Krystal left the shop, a slight spring in her step as she wandered around in her new clothes. They were much more comfortable then what she wore before. The vixen was hesitant to get rid of her old apparel, since they were a connection to her home. But they were not suited for the world she now lived in.

The vixen saw that there were a few hours to spend before noon, but what to do with them?

The jingling coin purse on her waist was telling her to go to the market and see what this world had to offer, so she did just that.

Krystal walked through the city's cobbled streets until she arrived at the market district. It was a huge space, crowded with stalls and merchants pedaling their wares and throngs of city goers going about their day.

The female fox smiled as she watched a mother and her daughter selling what looked like their homegrown fruits and vegetables, a faint pang of longing joining her happy thoughts.

She wanted to have kits of her own but the likeliness of that happening seemed far away from her. The vixen was unlikely to find the perfect suitor amid the men of this land. Krystal wanted a loving kindhearted man, an improbable find in the frozen and unforgiving expanses of Skyrim.

A purchase was made and Krystal walked away with a small sack of apples, the woman's daughter thanking her as she left.

"Thank you, Miss Fox lady!"

Krystal waived back at the cute child as she departed, looking to see what else she might want.

As she wandered, Krystal came up with an idea.

She wanted to thank Fenris for all he had done for her. And though she was technically using his money, the vixen still wanted to get him something.

But what would a man like him want as a gift? The easy part was buying the gift. The hard part was finding the right one.

Krystal meandered the maze of market stalls for some time, seeing if something would jump out and catch her eye.

' _What to get, what to get? What would he like? Maybe he would like a sword, or perhaps a shield?_ ' She thought with a grin.

But then frowned when she realized she did not have an eye for weapons, and wouldn't even know what to buy.

' _Maybe something else, something more…pedestrian…'_ The vixen spied something off to the side and grinned, _'perfect'_.

She made her purchase and spoke with the vendor, arranging for her acquisitions to be dropped off in front of his home. Krystal was confident that he would like what she had obtained for him.

The vixen hung around the market district until just before noon, heading back to Fenris' house by the gates. As she approached she saw the man standing next to a mound of wooden containers. She giggled, feeling the bafflement seeping out of his aura.

"What in the…" He muttered quietly to himself, studying the strange load of boxes that had been dumped by his home.

"Do you like it?" Krystal asked eagerly.

Fenris whipped backwards, looking to her with his black mask.

"What is this?" He gestured towards the pile.

In response, Krystal moved to one of the boxes and pulled the top open, revealing a set of tableware.

"I got you some things for your house." She explained as she put the lid back on. The vixen took note of the barrenness of his home and thought to correct that. "That way you have some spare things when I'm here."

Surely that would be a good gift?

Krystal watched anxiously as he silently observed her and the boxes.

"You…would wish to stay at my home longer? Even after the quest is done?" Fenris asked slowly, with a hint of hopeful disbelief.

He truly was a lonely individual.

Krystal nodded with a smile. The vixen had enjoyed having her own room again and she could have a worse housemate.

She could see how stunned he was, even with the mask hiding his features. She wondered why it was such a big deal to him. He seemed like a nice enough guy, where were his friends? Surely a famous individual, a dragon slayer, would have a plethora of companions to call upon?

Krystal yipped in surprise when the man hugged her out of the blue, her shock quickly melting into a murr of contentment as she accepted his embrace. It was strange, but she immensely enjoyed being in the man's arms. It was a comfy and soothing experience that she would not mind repeats of.

"Thank you for the gift." Fenris quickly pulled away from the brief hug, seizing back control of his body after his unexpected reaction, appearing to be slightly puzzled.

Krystal sighed quietly, the pleasant feeling fading away.

"Thank you for all that you have done."

"Then we are even, a gift for a gift. Now, would you like to help bring your presents inside?" He inquired.

Krystal agreed and the pair quickly transferred the containers into his home, stacking them by the door.

Fenris had decided to deal with them on their return and so after locking up his home they passed through the city's gates and to the beginning of their journey.


	5. Chapter 5

Stranded Beyond Hope

Chapter 4: Frost

Krystal clutched her cloak tightly together, preventing the fierce frigid winds from ripping the warmth away as she followed Fenris through a trail of icy foothills, the vixen trudging doggedly through the high snow bluffs and doing her best to keep pace with her companion.

Fenris seemed to have no difficulty with the frozen terrain, plodding along amiably as if it was a summer's day carrying a gentle breeze. His black coat flapped wildly in the wind as he blazed a path for the vixen.

Before they reached the glacial hills he had explained to her how to travel through the artic environment. He would go first, softening the snow and making it easier for the vixen to follow. She couldn't tell if his plan was working, but if it was, she dreaded to think how hard this journey would have been on her own.

Krystal severely doubted of she would have been able to get this far without him.

Evening was fast approaching and they had been walking since they left the city, taking a game path up and following it into the hills. It seemed that every step they took away from the city dropped the temperature a degree. The air was deplorably dry as the cold sucked out the moisture and every ragged puff of breath left a faint cloud of frost in front of the vixen's muzzle.

"S-S-So c-cold, I'm f-freeing my t-tail off." Krystal stuttered irritably, stumbling after Fenris.

With the sun leaving, it was only getting colder and she didn't know how long she would be able to keep going. How Fenris managed so well without fur baffled her.

"C-can we s-stop for the d-day?"

Fenris looked back at the struggling vixen, watching as she drudged through the snow, her whole body trembling in the bitter and icy air.

He sighed.

"Alright, there should be a small cave a few minutes up ahead. We can camp out there until tomorrow. The winds should die down by then."

"T-thank y-you." She huffed, shuffling faster at the promise of a place that might be warmer than the unbearably cold environment.

A few minutes of labored hiking later and she spied the lip of a cave poking out from the side of a particularly large hill. Seeing Fenris heading towards it, she figured it had to be the one he was talking about and she hurriedly followed him inside.

The cave did not look very appealing, it was damp, dark, and only a few degrees warmer, but it still beat the snowstorm raging outside. Fenris moved towards the center of the cave and shed his bag and gear, motioning for Krystal to do the same.

As she placed her satchel next to his, Fenris brushed off the layer of snow clinging to his armor.

"I'm going to head back out and grab some wood for a fire. Wait here until I return."

The vixen did not like the sound of that, her only companion slogging blindly through a blizzard.

"Y-you should s-stay here, it'll b-be safer." She stammered, her teeth clacking loudly together in the silent cavern.

His mask shook negatively.

"You need to stay warm, lest you get hypothermia. The last thing I want is a frozen fox." He jested.

Fenris did have a point; she didn't want to become a foxsicle. But she was still uncomfortable with the idea of him searching for wood with the way the weather was at the moment. She could hear the wind's sharp howls as it clawed against the surface of their hiding hole. Krystal wouldn't know what to do if he didn't come back.

Although….

There was another way she could stay warm.

It would be more intimate, but safer. She wasn't sure how comfortable she would be with that, but she was willing to try.

Krystal slowly sat down near the back wall of the cave and flicked her tail to pat the ground beside her, signaling for him to sit.

Confused, Fenris complied, plopping down alongside the outwardly tense vixen.

"What's the plan?"

"We'll just have to huddle up for warmth." She replied softly, opening her cloak and wrapping them both inside the warmth it provided. Slowly but surely, she could feel the buildup of heat generated by both their bodies as it was trapped inside the thick coat.

"Oh…okay, sure." Fenris mumbled, hesitantly letting the vixen rest against him.

Krystal forced herself to relax, the fur on her arm tingling as it gently brushed against him. Faint shivers crawled across the vixen's spine from the continued contact. It was the closest a male from outside her family had ever come to her. It brought an odd, yet not altogether unpleasant, sensation. The warmth his body generated was welcoming and any opposition to the idea of sharing such enjoyable heat was quickly thawed.

She rested her muzzle against his arm, basking in that same sense of security and comfort she had first experienced at Jorrvaskr when he had carried her to her bed. For a man who had been distant and taciturn upon first meeting, he was a great shoulder to lean on.

Outside, the winds still relentlessly battered themselves against the cave mouth, but the droning wail was much more subdued from their position in the rear end, now lowered to a mere whisper, leaving them in a companionable silence, both starting to ease into the idea of their close proximity.

"Hey, Krystal…" Fenris mumbled thoughtfully, the quiet giving him time to think.

The vixen hummed, looking up to his mask.

"Yeah…"

"I have never seen a fox before, besides the four legged variety. Where are your people from?"

He had not given it much thought before, but Fenris had done a fair bit of traveling with the caravans. And he had seen all manners of races in that time, but not a single fox, and definitely not a blue one.

His question left Krystal in a conundrum. She was uncertain if she wanted to tell him. There was no telling if he would believe her or not, and she did not want him to think she was insane. How would one tell someone that they were from another world? It had been easy with Parthanax because he had apparently already known of her world's existence, something she wished to talk to him about when she had the chance.

In fact she had not talked with the dragon in quite some time. She thought about contacting him, but decided to wait till later. She didn't think having conversations in her head with a giant reptile would help either.

"Krystal…?" Fenris repeated, perturbed by the vixen's silence.

The vixen decided that she might as well stay clean. The thought of lying did not sit well with her. And she felt that Fenris, being the closest person she knew here, deserved to hear everything. He had been straight and honest with his story, she could do no less.

"Well, that is because I am not from here." She replied after a brief pause.

"From Skyrim?" He asked in confusion.

"No, from Tamriel." She clarified, watching as his masked visage tilted back in surprise.

"You cannot be from the lands of the deadra?" He wondered in alarm. She seemed far too kind to be one of them. He had encountered more than a few of the creatures that stalked the planes of Oblivion, and not one had qualms with attempting to separate his head from his shoulders.

"No. No. I come from a different world altogether. I came here with the help of a portal."

"And so you cannot return…?" Fenris hazard a guess. He remembered that she told him she needed a place to stay and coin. So it was safe to conclude that the reason for her needs was because she could not return from where she came from.

Krystal was surprised that he believed her so easily, voicing it to him.

In response, the man shrugged. Portals were not an uncommon occurrence in Tameriel.

Fenris smiled. "It is not as outlandish as you might think. This world is full of many strange and unexplainable things. This is more believable than most. Besides…I trust that you would not seek to mislead me."

It touched the vixen that he took to her words as truth so easily. Indeed it was a relief to have someone that knew her plight. The vixen grabbed one of his hands in her paw and squeezed it, for warmth she told herself.

"Thank you, for believing me."

He simply nodded in return.

"Tell me. Is there a way to get you back?"

He liked the vixen. She was kind and appeared to enjoy his company. So if he could help her, he would do all in his power to do so, preferably before she discovered his "condition".

"No, at least not without someone called the Dragonborn." She replied gloomily, sighing as she did.

At the mention of the Dragonborn, she felt his body stiffen, almost unnoticeably.

"The Dragonborn you say?"

His tone was curiously neutral, bland of anything that might convey his emotions or thoughts. With her powers, she sensed that he was uneasy and felt…guilty?

"Yes, without them, I will be unable to go home. If they do not stop the dragon Alduin, then I will remain stranded here."

She could not keep the frustration from her tone. Just the thought of that person's inaction being one of the sole reasons she could not go home infuriated the vixen beyond belief.

"I see…" Fenris muttered thoughtfully, the eyes behind his mask intently staring at the far wall.

Still, she did not want to dump all of her baggage onto her companion and so she nudged hin playfully.

"So…since we're stuck in this cave for a while, do you have any interesting stories to tell? Surely someone like you must have one or two."

"Like me…?" Fenris asked, his dim demeanor fading away in the presence of the vixen's friendly smile. It had an odd ability to make his concerns fade away for a brief time.

"Yeah, an adventurer and dragon slayer such as yourself must have something exciting to tell."

Fenris leaned back against the wall and moved to fold his arms before realizing that the vixen still held his hand, choosing instead to remain as he was. The man gazed up at the rock ceiling, trying to recall something that might peak her interest, nodding his head slowly when he arrived at an idea.

"Well…there was the time I became the master of the Thieves' Guild." He stated nonchalantly.

"The Thieves' Guild?"

That didn't sound like a very reputable operation.

"Indeed, but I personally was never partial to thievery. I did however, manage to help them out and in the end they made me their leader. Since then of course, I have told them to be a little more…ethical in their pursuits, from the rich to the poor and all that."

"That still sounds pretty immoral."

Fenris rolled his shoulders. "The way I see it, you'll never be able to get rid of them. So you might as well make sure that they are doing some good rather than none. I rather have a thief taking from those that can afford to lose something and give some of that to those who have nothing, then a thief that takes from anyone and keeps it all for themselves."

Krystal had to agree with that.

Fenris then went on an hours long tale of how he met a man named Brynjolf, unwittingly became the master of thieves and ending on the note of restoring the guild's good luck.

"Now they have never been better, even having a nobler aim. Since then, Riften has actually become a pretty decent place last I heard and Brynjolf is taking good care of the guild in my absence, which is good considering I am not much a thief myself."

The vixen yawned as she checked the mouth of the cave. The wind had departed, but so had the sun and she could barely make out the moon's light as it bathed the cavern in a soft white glow. Krystal was mesmerized by the pale silver light as it danced strikingly across the grey stone and reflected back onto the ceiling, sparkling brightly like a roof of endless starlight.

She was wonderfully warm inside their makeshift blanket and snuggled up against Fenris and his warm body contentedly. "That was a…nice story." Krystal claimed as she yawned part way through. Unthinkingly, she rested her muzzle in the crook of his neck, feeling her twitching whiskers brushing against his throat, the man having taken his mask and hood off part way through his story.

She couldn't get enough of his heat. Being furless, his body radiated warmth like a furnace, probably how he managed to stay so warm. His skin was a smooth heated surface, keeping her muzzle thawed even in the cold air of the cave.

"I'm a…I'm a take a nap." She mumbled drowsily, sinking slowly into slumber.

Fenris snored in response, already slumbering, his shining golden eyes hidden under their lids and face pulled into a peaceful mask of sleep.

 _'_ _Must have dozed off after telling such a long story…he's a nice guy.'_ The vixen thought happily.

Krystal beamed and placed a soft affectionate kiss, just on his brow, letting her furred lips linger for a moment longer than necessary, Fenris smiling in his sleep at her touch.

As she sat there, bundled up tightly with the sleeping human, she could not help but notice how romantic the setting was, the two of them nestled together with the moon lending its light in a breathtaking display of nature's beauty. It reminded her of some of the many fantasies she had imagined before coming here, but not in the way she had envisioned them.

With a sigh, she curled closer to him and closed her eyes, joining the man in slumber.

* * *

 _'_ _Krystal…'_

The vixen groaned, not wanting to be awoken from such a pleasant rest.

 _'_ _Krystal…wake up.'_

"Ugh, not now Fenris…just a few more minutes." She begged, rolling to the side.

 _'_ _I am not this Fenris that you speak of, it is I, Parthanax.'_ The familiar voice rumbled and the vixen's discombobulated thoughts finally piecing it together.

 _'_ _Parthanax!'_ She exclaimed, opening her eyes wide and shooting up. Instinctively, she searched around the cave expecting to see a massive golden serpent, but of course she and Fenris were the only ones inside, the both of them still huddled together. It looked as if she had woken up first. Krystal had all but forgotten that she could communicate with the dragon in her sleepy daze.

 _'_ _Indeed, I just wished to inquire on how your journey went. I trust you made it to Whiterun?'_

The vixen took a few minutes to fill the dragon in on all that had happened, listening as the dragon hummed, the mental sigh reverberating in her head.

 _'_ _It is relieving to hear that you are doing well. As for the Dragonborn they have still not arrived at High Hrothgar I am afraid.'_

Krystal frowned, but found that she was not as disappointed as she thought she would be, she glanced down at the sleeping form of Fenris, who was peacefully sawing logs, his mouth hanging wide open.

Living here was not turning out as bad as she had expected.

 _'_ _I will contact you again if they appear, but if you wish to speak sooner or have need of my aid, do not hesitate to call for me.'_ The dragon's voice faded slowly until the last few words he spoke were more akin to a whisper.

The vixen sat next to her sleeping companion, wondering when she would have a chance of getting back. How long would it take? Weeks? Months?

…Years?

Before she could think too hard on that, she heard Fenris begin to awaken.

The man yawned loudly and leaned forwards, shedding the vixen's cloak and stretching his arms as he scanned the cave. When his attention landed on her he smiled.

"Good morning." He greeted cheerfully.

She could tell that he had enjoyed his rest as much as she had.

"It is indeed a pleasant one." She agreed as she took in the sun's bright light shining down into the now warm cave. Outside her sharp ears could catch the faint steady plinking of water as the snow began to melt. The weather had had undergone a complete reversal it seemed. The rest of their journey would be far easier.

Fenris traveled over to their packs and pulled out Kodlak's map, glancing at it briefly. "We should be about a day's walk from the burrow, most of which is downward trails and open plains. And with this weather it should be a smooth journey." As he spoke he folded up the map and returned it to his bag before slinging the whole thing onto his shoulders.

Krystal stood up and dusted herself off, Fenris handing the vixen her satchel as she reached for her staff.

"Thanks." She gratefully grabbed her weapon, using it as a walking cane.

"Let's go, the sooner we get this done the better!" Fenris exclaimed energetically.

The man slipped his mask back on and pulled up his hood, once more concealing his features.

Krystal felt a slight tinge of disappointment, but could not figure out what for. Shrugging off the odd feeling, she followed after her companion as he exited the cave.

With the warmer environment, they made far better time than the day previous, reaching the halfway point in their journey before midday.

All this walking gave Krystal more than enough time to ponder. As she gazed pensively at the vale of trees and hills around them, she wondered what she would do after the quest. Originally she had wanted to do all this so she could have a place to stay. Yet she had that with Fenris and he had given her a hefty sum of coin, most of which she still had. So she wasn't too worried anymore about money.

All that left the vixen with was figuring out what she was going to do now.

What could she do to occupy herself in this world?

That was a tough question. All she had wanted when she had been back in her own world had been becoming a guardian…well that and finding her soulmate. Yet she no longer had the desire to become a guardian. It was strange. All her life she had wanted it. But now, after coming to this world and living here for a brief time. That drive no longer pushed her. Yes she still wanted to go home, but she just didn't want that job.

She had been so confident that was what she wanted. Now she wasn't sure what it was she did in fact want.

The vixen turned her attention back to the path and Fenris' cloaked back.

Of all the people she had met since coming here, he was the one she liked the most. The man hadn't given a second glance at what she was and treated her like a friend. Not only that but he had given her gifts. In Cerinian culture, it was tradition for male suitors to offer two gifts. The first was a present of some kind and the second was most often money, showing that they cared for and could provide for the woman in question.

He had done both of these. While she knew that Fenris was not a Cerinian and would have no knowledge of what his gifts meant…perhaps he didn't need to. Krystal wondered if the man liked her. After all, he had been watching over her from almost the moment he laid eyes on her. From caring her to her bed till now, where he was helping her on her quest.

The more she thought about it, the more she wondered what she would do if he did.

Maybe that was why he had done all the things he had for her?

Or maybe he was just a nice individual?

It was probably the last one she decided.

The distracted vixen would have kept walking if not for the man in question, who grabbed her shoulder roughly, stopping her from advancing.

She looked up at him to question why when she heard something off into the forest to their left. It was a sharp heavy sound, something large impacting a tree.

Fenris took a step in front of Krystal and reached behind his back, unsheathing the massive obsidian greatsword. He scented the air and growled, which surprised her.

Sometimes, he seemed more like a beast than a man.

"I smell a frost troll, male, six hundred pounds at least!" He announced excitedly. She swore she saw his golden eyes shine brightly beneath his cowl.

Krystal thought he was insane! Who would be thrilled at the prospect of meeting a troll of any sorts? She had never seen a troll before, but the myths back home did not paint them in a good light. They were the creatures that devoured kits and guarded bridges with riddles as their defenses.

The sound loudened, a trail of rolling thunder bludgeoning its way towards them. A piercing roar boomed close by, judging by the pitch and length the troll had to be huge. All she could imagine was a maw packed with razor sharp teeth and claws the size of daggers.

Her heart thumped loudly in her chest and the vixen had to adjust her staff in her sweat slickened pads.

"I hope you are ready. A frost troll is no easy prey and can gut a man faster than he can turn tail and run. But do not worry. I have slain more than a few of these frosty beasts in my journeys."

If he was attempting to reassure her, he was doing a very poor job.

Without warning, Fenris pushed her backwards and backpedaled rapidly as a huge snowy figure burst from the wooded vale.

Krystal gasped in shock as she laid eyes on the beast.

The frost troll was covered in a thick, grimy and snowy coat, the white fur sullied by caked on mud and what looked a lot like dried blood. Its upper torso was packed with dense muscle containing deadly power. From the looks of it, the troll would have no problem ripping her limb from limb.

Its claws were larger than she had first thought, a brace of sabers on each hand. Its giant head had three eyes, two normal ones and a slightly larger third in the center of its low brow and an arsenal of razor sharp fangs was jammed in its maw with no real sense of order, just rows upon rows of jagged incisors.

 _'_ _How are we going to fight that thing?'_

The vixen was partial to keeping her limbs where they belonged, attached to her body.

This being her first real taste of combat, Krystal turned to her companion, panicked.

The troll roared and smashed its knuckles into the dirt path, challenging the ones that had stumbled onto its territory.

It seemed that the creature was preventing them from progressing, and would soon attack.

"W-what do we do?" Krystal stuttered fearfully.

"Alright, frost trolls are incredibly strong. If it hits you, it will probably break a bone or two and its claws can easily slice through that leather armor."

Krystal gulped.

"I'll keep it occupied while you get under its guard. Frost trolls have insane regenerative abilities. We'll have to keep up our attacks in order to combat that."

The troll howled one last challenge before it charged.

"Quick, move!" Fenris barked as he jumped to the side.

Krystal speedily leapt to the right and rolled, watching as the troll lumbered past, swinging its claws wildly.

Fenris recovered quickly and snarled, rushing towards the monster and swinging his giant sword like a club. The bladed weapon slammed into the troll's side, staggering it. But its thick waxy coat absorbed most of the damage and Krystal watched in fear as the thin wound sealed in front of her eyes.

The troll favored its wounded side and lurched a paw-like hand out to crush the man who had injured it, but Fenris managed to evade the deadly swipe, retorting with another heavy crash of his blade, with similar results.

Seeing he needed help, Krystal hesitantly moved forwards.

 _'_ _This…is probably not going to end well.'_ She twirled her staff and slammed it against the side of the troll's head.

Seemingly absorbing the attack, the creature swung a meaty limb in her direction and she was forced to throw herself to the ground to prevent her disembowelment, the taste of dirt lingering in her muzzle.

 _'_ _I stand corrected.'_

Fenris attacked again and Krystal timed her next blow to hit the troll while it was dazed. Their coordinated strike seemed to have more success as the pondersome beast reeled from the blows.

The duo kept up their combined assault, trying to keep the troll staggered and prevent any more of its dangerous strikes. Dozens of cuts manifested on the troll's furred hide, but they did not linger long, sealing almost moments after they opened. It seemed to be almost unkillable.

Krystal saw an opening and cracked her staff against the troll's head, briefly stunning it.

Capitalizing on its moment of weakness, Fenris lunged his weapon forwards, using his prodigious strength to drive the greatsword through the troll's natural armor. The blade dug into its side and emerged in a violent spray of crimson blood from the other end, just missing the spine.

Howling in pain, the troll backhanded the man, sending him careening violently into a tree, his sword still impaling the fiend.

"Fenris!" Krystal cried out in terror as she watched her companion rebound of the tall oak and roughly slam into the dirt where he remained unmoving.

Seeing one of its foes on the ground, the troll bellowed in triumph and moved to finish him off.

"You monster!" Krystal snarled wrathfully as she ran forwards, raining a flurry of strikes upon its exposed back, ending her barrage with a bone cracking hit to its knee. Smashing her staff so hard she felt the bones in its leg give, the sound making the vixen shudder in revulsion.

The beast folded and squealed in pain, nursing its broken appendage. But its weakness did not last long. The creature ripped the large blade out from its torso and threw it aside, rising unsteadily on its good leg.

It would not be defeated so easily.

Krystal watched again as the wound in its side slowly began to seal, her anger burning hotly.

The vixen froze in thought, wait that was it…heat.

Krystal clutched her staff in steady paws and began to draw on her power. She focused all her fear and anger, the fear at seeing her friend fall and the anger at the monster that had hurt him. She fed both of the strong emotions until they were a bubbling cauldron of potent rage. Aiming her staff at the troll she channeled it all into the orb at the top and watched in satisfaction as a huge fireball erupted from the gem and sailed right into the troll with a whoosh of crackling flames.

Its fur acted like dry tinder and soon the monster was wreathed in a blistering inferno. Howling now in fear, the colossal abomination stumbled wildly, gouging its claws in itself to futilely try and tear out the hungry conflagration. The strong scent of scorched fur filled her nose and Krystal could not help but feel a sense of pleasure as she watched the creature crumple to the ground lifelessly, the fires too much for even its lauded regenerative properties.

But her pleasure in victory did not last long.

Krystal rushed to her fallen companion, sliding to her knees at his side and propping his chest in her lap. The vixen ran her trembling paws across his body, looking for any broken bones.

She was in a panic, desperate to make sure he was still alive.

Krystal pulled his hood back and ripped his mask off, gingerly running a paw across his cheek. His eyes were closed and his breathing was shallow.

"Fenris! Fenris can you hear me?!" She pleaded, gently shaking his head.

In response, he groaned and painfully opened his eyes, the golden orbs gazing up at her deliriously.

"Lucky shot…" He muttered jokingly.

Krystal chuckled in relief, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and propping her muzzle on top of his head, gladdened that he was okay. But, she could not help but wonder how. Such a powerful blow should have by rights broken at least a few bones and drew blood. The vixen had seen how hard he hit that tree, yet he was fine, not even a scratch. But in the end she didn't think too hard into it, thankful that he was alive and well.

"I thought you were a dragon slayer?" She mumbled teasingly. "Yet you get taken down by a frost troll on the first hit."

"Dragons are easy…they talk too much. I fear this foe was far too hungry to spar with verbiage as its weapon."

Fenris leaned up and turned to his left, examining the charred remains of the frost troll.

"Did you do this?"

"…Yeah." Krystal replied slowly, unsure of how he would respond.

The man looked to her and chuckled.

"I was unaware of your impressive magical talent. Next time, I suggest you start with that eh? Then perhaps I won't get tossed around as much. As you may have noticed, they are quite susceptible to fire. The oils in their fur protect from Skyrim's harsh winter, but it is also exceedingly flammable."

She nodded and blushed in embarrassment, logging that knowledge down.

"Well, with that settled, I think it's time we continue on our journey. Trolls do not often travel in packs, but I have no desire to see if that is true for this one." Fenris rose from the ground and helped the vixen back to her hindpaws, leading the way back onto the trail and giving one last unimpressed glance at the charred remains of the frost troll.

* * *

The rest of the day went much smoother and they made good time to the town outside the burrow, arriving just before nightfall. It was a homely little village with little more than a hundred locals and a single-story inn which they decided to stop at for the night.

Krystal followed Fenris into the inn, passing tables of rugged individuals nursing mugs of ale. Their burly physique, soot stained clothing, and gloomy dispositions marked them as miners, probably the survivors of the draugr attack.

Fenris stepped up to the bar's counter and rapped on it with his knuckles.

Shortly after, a strange man slipped in through the rear door. He was tall rugged and covered in dark green skin and tusk-like teeth jutting from the sides of his mouth. He must be one of the orcs Arngeir spoke of.

The burly orc polished a mug with a clean white rag and leaned onto the countertop.

"What can I do for you strangers?" His voice was as harsh as his appearance.

Seeing as Fenris was the more experienced individual of the two, she deferred to him as their interim spokesperson.

"I am Fenris Wolfram, and this is my companion, Krystal. One of the locals here sent a letter to the companions of a recent draugr attack in the mines?"

"Aye, that would be me." One of the miners spoke up as he stood from his table, a dark grey skinned man with pointed ears and red eyes, a dark elf to be sure.

"Name's Faleran Bethalius, the mine's foreman. And I'm damn glad to see you. Come, have a seat at my table."

Fenris thanked the barman and turned to the foreman, Krystal following as they sat at his table.

"What's the situation? I want to hear it from the beginning."

Krystal sat beside Fenris and listened to the foreman's tale.

"It started just a couple of days ago after we uncovered a chamber, one of those burrows the nords used to be fond of building. At first, we just left it alone, but one of my miners, an imperial who used to go by the name of Marcial, got a little too curious for his own good and went in searching for a bit of gold or something he could trade with the wandering caravans. Curse that foolish man." The dark elf hawked and loudly spat on the ground beside his boots.

Krystal winced at the barbaric action and leaned a little farther back in her seat.

"And he must have stirred the draugr?" Fenris concluded.

"Damn right he did!" Faleran declared angrily, slapping the table with an open palm.

"The greedy fool awoke the entire burrow with his bumbling. The monsters killed Marcial and flooded into the excavation, killing my miner's indiscriminately. All we had were rusted pickaxes and leather jerkins. We had no chance against those undead abominations and so we picked up our wounded and ran, blocking off the mine's entrance with some wooden beams."

Fenris' cowl bobbed as he listened to the foreman.

"Is it still blocked off?"

"Of course…or at least I'm sure it is. No one's been back there to check and since we haven't been overrun by nordic zombies, I suppose that's true. We've all just been waiting for you fighting folk to show up. We ain't no warriors, Sir. I'll gladly leave all the danger to you and your furry companion here." The dark elf gestured to Krystal, the vixen slightly offended by his offhanded remark.

"Very well, we'll head out tomorrow at midday. For now, we'll need lodging for the night."

"You can have one of the rooms here at the inn, free of charge and I'll even through in a free meal for both of you. It's the least I could do. Although I'm afraid there's only one bed that you'll have to share. All the other rooms are full. Not that I suspect you would mind with such a beautiful lass like that to share it with." The orchish innkeeper offered with a chuckle.

Krystal blushed at the elvinkin's crude insinuation, turning to Fenris to gauge his reaction. But whatever expression he might have made was hidden behind his mask.

Krystal was starting to despise that thing.

"That would be most welcome." Fenris replied evenly as he slid his chair back and rose from his seat. "Come on, Krystal, let's check out our room."

The vixen nodded quietly and trailed after her friend. The innkeep showed them to a small room at the end of the little tavern, a quaint little thing with a single bed and a few accessories to go along with it.

"Have a good night, and keep the noise down eh?" The orc chortled uproariously and slapped Fenris on the back as he left to tend his bar.

The man shook his head softly and ushered Krystal inside.

The duo looked around before they both stopped and stared at the bed silently.

"Orcs, a curious race, not very subtle and almost oafish to a fault..." Fenris muttered conversationally in an effort to break the awkward silence.

"Yes, they are rather….forward." Krystal agreed, doing her best to keep a straight face.

Silence loomed.

"You can have the bed, I'll take the chair." Fenris suggested, breaking the quiet and eyeing the wooden seat pulled up next to the dwarfish table by the bed. In appearance, it was perhaps the most uncomfortable looking thing Krystal had ever laid eyes on. There were visible splinters on the armrests and bits of varnish flaked off the finish.

The vixen would rather have the bed, but her good manners made her at least attempt to counter his offer.

"No, you've done so much for me. The least I could do is let you have the bed."

In response, Fenris shook his head firmly.

"No, I insist, Besides, I have something I wish to take care of. I'll be gone for most of the night anyways."

Take care of, what was he talking about? Krystal asked him.

"It is nothing you need be worried about, just a personal matter."

The vixen was surprised to feel slightly wounded that he wouldn't tell her.

"Please, don't be concerned. I'll be back before you awaken on the morrow." Fenris attempted to sooth the cobalt vixen.

With a sigh of disappointment she nodded.

"Very well, if you must go I will take the bed." She relented.

That seemed to satisfy him, as Fenris bid her farewell and stepped out of the room, the vixen watching as he departed the inn to parts unknown.

Now alone with just her thoughts, Krystal sat on top of the bed sheets and began to get ready for bed.

* * *

Sometime late into the night, Krystal found herself suddenly awakened. Curious as to why her body had chosen to wake her, the vixen rose up rose up from the bed and looked about the darkened room, the candles long extinguished.

Outside the door the inn was deathly silent, not a sound to be heard.

Seeing nothing to explain the strange phenomenon, the vixen was further confused.

Suddenly, her ears twitched as a mournful howl reverberated through the inn, chilling her soul comparable to that of a blizzard's frigid gales. It sounded as if there was a wolf near enough to claw at the door to her room.

The sorrowful melody instilled in her a strange sense of grief that she could not rightly place. But it urged her to find and comfort the poor animal.

She listened to the lupine's lonely croon until it gently died off, leaving her sitting in a sudden and deafening silence.

Krystal waited to see if the wolf would utter its somber howl again, but gave up as the minutes began to pass.

The vixen leaned back into her bed and pulled the covers up tight, drifting back into a pensive half-slumber.

Just before dawn, the door to the room softly groaned open and she heard a heavy pair of heavy boots trod in.

She peeped through her eyelids and watched as Fenris lethargically crossed the small room, collapsing onto the flimsy chair with a huff, the seat creaking alarmingly under his weight.

Fenris' had removed his mask and the man was staring deeply into the room's pine floorboards. He looked absolutely exhausted, the worse she had ever seen him, even after the troll attack. His eyes were sunken and their golden sheen had lost its once alluring luster, as if all his energy had been sucked from his body, leaving a drained husk. His armor was in similar disrepair, appearing to be haphazardly draped onto his muscular frame, as if he was in a rush to don it.

He turned to the supposedly slumbering vixen, thinking she was asleep.

And Krystal watched as he grinned softly, the smile tarnished by a hint of sadness.

For some strange reason the vixen could have sworn his teeth were much like a wolf's, sharp, deadly, and packed with canines, but at a second glance they appeared normal.

Fenris sighed heavily, mumbling dryly, the words almost too low for her sharp hearing to make out.

"Alas…perhaps in another life…if things had only been different…"

She strained her ears to see if he would say more, but he went silent, closing his eyes and sinking into the chair. Soon, his breathing evened out and the man fell asleep.

Krystal lay wrapped in the bed's covers, her mind a buzz with thought.

What had he been talking about?

* * *

In the morning, a few hours had passed judging by the location of the sun. Krystal was awakened by Fenris, the man looking nothing like he had the night before. Whatever exhaustion he previously experienced had been replaced by his usual liveliness and his armor had been returned to its tidy splendor.

As they left the inn and headed up to the mine, her eyes tracked him closely, the vixen wondering what was happening with her friend.

What had he been doing the night before? Where had he gone?

She dearly wished to ask him but was too nervous to find the courage to do so.

"I hope you are ready, a tomb of draugr is no easy task." Fenris began seriously, drawing the vixen's attention away from her musings as they approached a mine shaft, bars of thick lumber obstructing the doors.

"Draugr are the animated corpses of ancient nordic warriors who served the dragons long ago. Despite their decrepitude and emaciated appearances, they are not to be underestimated. Even the lowliest draugr has the skill and cunning of the person it had been before death and several can use dragon words of power. If we are to come across such a creature, you will turn back and run. You may have been able to slay a frost troll on your own and that is commendable, but a draugr deathlord is beyond your reach and it is possible that I will fall to its blade. In that event, you will return to the inn and clear out the village before returning to Kodlak and informing him of my demise, and what lies within the tomb."

Krystal refused.

"I won't just abandon you." She had no intention of just up and leaving him.

Fenris shook his cowl reproachfully.

"This is not a request, Krystal, nor is it a game. Sometimes, being a companion is more than seeking glory and honor, it is about putting the needs of others before your own. And while you may not understand that, you will abide by it or I will send you back to Jorrvaskr right this moment."

There was a startlingly amount of bite in his denial, the vixen flinching at his edged tone. This was the first time he had spoken to her like that, and she was surprised.

"Am I clear?" He inquired forcefully, eyeing her intently.

After a few moments, Krystal nodded silently, partially subdued.

Fenris sighed in relief. "Good, I hate to sound harsh, but I am responsible for your wellbeing. I could not in good conscience put you in any more danger than is necessary."

His response lifted her spirits to a certain degree, but she still felt somewhat disappointed and more than a little hurt.

She watched Fenris as he began to remove the lumber that had been leveraged against the doors, unblocking the mine so that they could proceed.

With one last grunt, he pushed the last wooden strut to the side with a heavy thud and dusted off his gauntlets.

"Now, let's see what awaits us inside."


	6. Chapter 6

Stranded Beyond Hope

Chapter 5: Silver Lining

The interior of the mine was deathly silent and plagued with the morbid stench of putrid decay sullying her nostrils. Krystal warily regarded Fenris as they progressed further into the mouth of the excavation, his gauntlet resting guardedly on the pommel of a longsword. Jagged spires clung to the ceiling, only making her feel as if they were crossing into the cavernous jaws of an enormous prehistoric beast.

It was not soon after they found their first miner.

The poor man looked to have been running in terror before he had been ruthlessly cut down by an arrow's lethal impact, sprawled out face first onto the unforgiving stone. Its ancient bleached shaft sprung from the center of his back, rimmed with crusted red blood, like a macabre ornament.

Krystal held back the overpowering urge to vomit and turned away from the gruesome scene. This was the first time she had laid eyes on a dead man and it shook the vixen to her core. She would freely admit that her life in the palace had left her sheltered from the harsh realities of the world outside. But that did not make this any easier to bear. How could this happen? Why was it allowed to happen?

This man probably had a family that he would never return to. A wife lost a husband and children, a father. What right did the world have of taking him from them? How could life be so cruel? It had taken her from her home and now seemed content in further destroying other lives.

Hopelessness wormed its way into her heart.

What chance had she of getting home anyways? On the whims of some person she had never even met.

Before the despair could continue to fester, a gentle pressure exerted itself on Krystal's shoulder and a soft, kind voice filled the desolate air around her, banishing her disheartened thoughts.

"Death is never easy to come to terms with, Krystal. I have some experience with this matter so heed my words with care. Do not dwell on this poor individual or any other we find here or abroad. Doing so will not do you or them any favors, All it will seek to do is eat away at your soul until you are not but a withered husk, much like the draugr themselves. Life often times is not fair or just, but it is _life_. This plane we live on and any other are balanced, good and evil manifesting in equal quantities. There will always be evil and so will there always be good to stand against it. You can choose to live a selfish life, catering to your own wants and needs, or you can dedicate it to others. The latter is not an easy choice. It is difficult to put others above yourself and the temptation to falter will always be present. I cannot tell you how to live your life. That alone is your decision..."

Fenris paused, chuckling wryly.

"I seem to have gone off on a tangent haven't I? This is no place to discuss the deeper aspects of existence. Such a conversation is not fit to be held here amongst the dead. It is disrespectful. Come, let us continue and brave what darkness may stand against us. This man may have died and a family may have lost a husband and father, but we have been given an opportunity to not only avenge this death and the others, but see to it that such an evil can be stopped, _will,_ be stopped. We are...after all...members of the companions. This is just one of our many duties."

Fenris released his comforting grasp on her furred shoulder and continued by; passing the corpse that had proven to be a point of lecture.

Krystal gave one last sorrowful glance to the fallen man and whispered a prayer for his soul before she followed.

The vixen instead shifted her attention to Fenris in surprise. She had not thought him to be such a bountiful wellspring of wisdom. His kind and potent words had done much to ease her dismayed musings.

She was starting to see why his presence was so powerful, why fate itself seemed to linger in his every footstep.

It had become easier for her to pass the other bodies now. Not that she felt any less terrible, but rather she had accepted it for what it was.

Life.

"It would appear that the draugr have retreated back into their tomb, no doubt to return to their endless watch after having removed those who sought to trespass." Fenris noted as they had not stumbled upon any of the undead creatures.

"Could we not then just let them be?" Krystal wondered. "We could just close off the hole and the miners could return to their lives, no need for conflict." No need to endanger their lives as well is what she wanted to say.

Fenris broke off mid-step.

"That cannot happen. They have already taken lives. It would be too dangerous to leave them be now. They could find a way out again and this sad seen would play out once more." He gestured to the corpses strewn about them, the vixen doing her best to not look too closely.

"Besides, have you forgotten the original aim of this quest? There is something inside that we need. The fragment must be recovered."

She had not. But she wished that it did not matter. What was the use of an ancient weapon? All it would do was bring about more death, more grief.

Fenris could read the reluctance on his friend's muzzle. "I am no fool, Krystal. I can see the hesitancy in your eyes. This is about more than a weapon. It is about restoring a legacy. This weapon is as much a part of the companions as you and I. There are few lengths I would not go to retrieve it...as there are few lengths I would not go to help you."

Fenris momentarily went silent.

"Do you...understand?" He asked uncertainly.

Krystal thought she did.

The vixen nodded and smiled softly.

"That is well then." Fenris muttered to himself as he turned on his heels and resumed their journey.

Not too long afterwards, they came across a mound of rock sitting piled to one side. On the other was a craterous hole in the stone, most likely blasted by powerful magic of some sort. Through the breach, Krystal could make out a hallway of carved stone lit by ghostly braziers. A haunting coldness emanated from the makeshift entryway and filled her with sudden dread. She could feel ancient sorceries at work inside, and her extrasensory abilities were almost completely subdued here.

This must be it.

"Here we are." Fenris declared, confirming her theory. "Therein lays our goal. Are you ready?" Fenris turned to her.

The vixen nodded steadily. She would not leave, not without her friend. If he would continue on this dangerous path, she would follow with as much bravery as she could muster.

 _'If I can take a frost troll I can do this.'_ She reasoned with herself.

"Good. You will have need of your courage." Fenris entered, the vixen following in close pursuit.

* * *

She soon decided that she did not like this tomb at all.

It was even more unsettling then the mine.

As soon as she had past the threshold she felt her spirit plummet. Faint unnerving whispers echoed in the ossuary and seemingly from within the shelter of her own mind. It was a strange and unwelcome experience she could have done without.

The language spoken was familiar to her, but she could not place why, nor could she understand the words said, but the vixen could feel the malevolence held in each syllable. Whatever or whoever they were, they did not wish her well.

At a glance, Fenris appeared unaffected by what plagued her, but she could faintly sense his unease. Her abilities were severely muted here, but she was still able to pick up on indistinct emotions from her companion.

"Do you...do you hear that?" Krystal whispered unconsciously, even though there had yet to be a need for lowered voices. It was this place. It made her feel as if she should keep her voice down lest they awaken some primeval terror.

Fenris nodded apprehensively. "Yes, although I have never encountered something like this before, not even in the other tombs I have ventured into. This one is unlike any other and I fear what that may entail. Keep close to me and remain vigilant. I sense many trials and adversities await us."

Krystal had no trouble with keeping close, walking just a couple paces behind him.

She followed her companion as they navigated deeper into the tomb, journeying down a sloped path of smooth stone until they arrived at a large entrance blocked by heavy wooden doors reinforced with ancient iron bars, the metal rusted with time. It was wide enough for both him and her to walk abreast through the doorway, although it did not look welcoming.

Fenris reached for the door and grabbed the handle, attempting to twist it but to no avail.

He hummed thoughtfully.

"It would seem that they locked the door behind them...strange. No draugr I have encountered were intelligent enough to think to lock a door. Thankfully, I can easily remedy this. Keep an eye out would you?"

Fenris reached into his bag and pulled out a set of strange curved picks before inserting them into the doors lock with a soft click.

Within moments the lock gave off a satisfying clunk and he pushed the large doors open.

"It would seem that my time with the guild remains useful. Now, let us delve deeper and see what secrets lay buried within."

Leaving the once locked door in the dust, the pair continued downwards, farther into the crypt and the vixen wondered how far this actually went. How big did nords build their burial chambers? Krystal decided to ask.

"From what I read from a few books back in the College of Winterhold, ancient nordic tombs expanded from anywhere between two and five levels of varying size and craftsmanship. The higher up you were in the chain, the lower they buried you. It was symbolic to them, so that they could be closer to the heart of the world. Although in the time of dragons it had a different meaning."

"Why is that?" She inquired. The vixen was surprised to find herself suddenly interested in ancient nordic lore, but perhaps that was due to the environment around her. It was easier to listen to her friend's pleasant voice over the ceaseless whispers permeating the air.

"In the time of dragons, the ruling nords were nothing more than mindless mouthpieces for the great serpents, dragon priests they were called. These priests betrayed their people for wealth, power and the promise of immortality. And as such the divines punished them for it. Their want for endless life was twisted, so that they were stuck in a painful balance of life and death, denied both."

As he spoke, Fenris led her through winding passageways. She was both relieved and worried that they had not come across anything yet. She did not like knowing that they were not alone in there and so she decided to focus more on his speech.

"These dragon priests, upon death or as close as they could come to it, were buried deep into the tombs, never to see the light of day again. The draugr were their servants in life and in death, taking up the mantle as their timeless guardians. But even with this curse inflicted upon them, they remain immensely powerful, Should one rise up from its stasis and escape confinement, great misfortune would befall the entirety of Skyrim."

That did not sound at all good.

"No it does not, but thankfully such creatures are tremendously uncommon. I myself have only ever encountered one of those dread lichs. It was a hard fight, and I did not walk away unharmed."

He gingerly rubbed his left shoulder in recollection.

After that, not much else was said as they delved deeper.

* * *

Down, down, down, that was all they seemed to be doing, going down. Krystal suspected that this was one of the larger catacombs of the dead, and she worried that they might get trapped inside, joining the deceased in their eternal rest.

Fenris moved to open the next door and Krystal's ear twitched.

The vixen grabbed his gauntlet before he could pull it open and he turned to her.

"Wait, I hear movement." She explained

On the other side she could hear the shuffling of several pairs of feet. And judging from the scuffling they were clad in heavy armored boots. Accompanying that was the soft clatter of weapons hanging from belts.

Fenris leaned towards the door and nodded slowly.

"Well done, that could have proved to be most unfortunate for me." She could see amusement in his golden eyes as he gave off a quiet chuckle. "At least we found the draugr."

Krystal was not sure whether to feel reassured or perturbed by his relaxed attitude.

"What do we do now?" She whispered as quietly as she could, hoping that the things on the other side of the door would be unable to hear them.

Fenris took a few moments to consider her question.

"This is the only door that goes further down and we can't turn back. So...we're just going to have to wing it I suppose." He replied optimistically.

Krystal's muzzle dropped in displeasure.

"That's not the answer I was looking for!" She muttered crossly.

"Then you have a better idea?" He asked expectantly.

The vixen opened her muzzle to respond, but her words failed her and so instead she remained silent.

Fenris sighed.

"Then there is not much we can do. I don't suppose you can whip us up another fireball?"

That she could do.

Krystal nodded.

Fenris leaned against the door and silently drew one of his swords in one hand and grabbed the doorknob with the other. "Excellent, here is the plan. I'll open the door and rush in. You get that fireball ready and launch it at the farthest one from me...got it?"

She nodded once more, this time nervously, and held her staff out at the ready, her gut taking a familiar dive as the promise of combat made itself known to her.

"Right then...here we GO!"

Fenris flung the door open and charged through the entryway, an intimidating guttural battle cry hurling from his lungs, the sound closely resembling a wolf's snarl.

Krystal hesitantly ran in after him and watched as the man buried his sword into the back of a strange creature.

The draugr as she guessed it must have been, looked much like a person. That is if you drained them of all fluid and stretched old insipid leathery skin across their bones. This particular undead beast was garbed in rusted black plates and had been grasping a blood encrusted axe and round shield before Fenris plunged his blade into its spine.

She watched as he kicked it off his blade and dropped the monster in its tracks, the pale ethereal blue glow imbuing its dead eyes winking out as it slumped to the ground.

They were inside a large rectangular room with flame filled urns hanging from the ceiling, illuminating the five undead creatures littering the underground hall.

 _'How are those still lit?'_

"Krystal a little help here!" Fenris exclaimed in distress as he caught the approaching swing of a draugr's axe, the alloy haft clanging resoundingly off the steel. He twisted his sword and disarmed the draugr, hewing the weapon into its armored shoulder, splitting plate and cleaving flesh. Instead of blood, a trail of black ooze seeped out of the open wound.

"Krystal!"

His yell broke the vixen out of her unfocused daze and she quickly summoned her power, launching a ball of flame from her staff and sending it crashing into the two undead shuffling towards her companion.

The conflagration hungrily licked at their desiccated flesh, burning hoary tendons and ligaments. Without their support, the flaming draugr had nothing to hold them up and fell to the ground in a fiery heap, their weapons falling from scorched fingers and unsatisfied growls gurgling forth from their charred lungs at being denied their chance for battle.

As they burned, Fenris hastily engaged the remaining two.

He unsheathed his second sword and agilely leapt towards his foes, pirouetting between their blade strokes and skillfully gliding past them. Before they could whip about he slashed his weapons across the left one's back in a cross pattern and as it dropped to its knees he deflected the retaliatory strike from its companion, slipping the tip of a sword between its ribs while simultaneously using the other to decapitate the one still kneeling.

Its head rolled to the ground and Fenris plunged both his blades into the final draugr's chest, ripping them out destructively and showering the far wall in their tar-like essence.

As both unfortunate undead hit the stone, Fenris quickly rotated his wrists and flicked the black blood off the blades, sheathing them and regarding Krystal with his mask disapprovingly.

"You must learn to concentrate, Krystal, not only for yourself but for your friends. Otherwise you are nothing but a hazard to their safety and your own."

Krystal's ears wilted at his scathing words and she studied the ground in humiliation. The vixen knew that she had been distracted by the draugr and their surroundings. She was also aware of the possibly disastrous consequences of being so.

Seeing her bowed ears and chastened muzzle, Fenris decided to dial down his admonishment.

He exhaled heavily.

"Look at me Krystal..."

The vixen hesitantly complied, slowly gazing up into his warm amber eyes, the golden orbs regarding her with compassion as he spoke in a much softer tone.

"In combat a warrior needs to be able to trust their companion without hesitation. They need to know that they can rely on you to be there when they need you. They are willing to potentially put their life in your hands. This trust is not something easily given. That being said, I _trust_ you Krystal. I have faith that you will be there and I hope you have that same faith in me or else this partnership cannot hope to function. So the question remains. Do you trust _me_ , Krystal?"

The vixen took a moment to contemplate on her response.

Did she trust Fenris? Did she believe wholeheartedly that he would be there for her when she needed him? And if so, was it enough to bet her life on?

In all honesty, she didn't know. But she didn't want to tell him. And so for the first time since meeting him...she lied.

"Yes, I trust you, Fenris." The deceitful verse came out foul and tasted like acrid ash in her mouth.

He scrutinized her intently before nodding.

"Thank you. I am honored to have your trust." He replied in obvious relief and she could distantly detect a sudden spike of happiness in her companion, only seeking to deepen her self-loathing.

 _'How can he put so much trust me and I cannot do the same?'_ She questioned herself bitterly. Almost from the beginning he had continuously trusted her, not once had he doubted a word that sprung from her mouth. And now, for all his shows of faith, she could not do the same for him. He was willing to put his life on the line for her, but she could not muster the courage to do so in return.

Her own lack of confidence sickened her.

"Are you alright, Krystal? You look unwell. Do you perhaps need a moment of respite before we continue forwards?" Fenris asked in concern, further worsening the vixen's stance on herself.

She shook her muzzle.

"No, I'm fine, just a little jarred after the battle. I have yet to get used to it."

"That feeling will fade in time. Don't worry. I always have your back." He patted her on the shoulder encouragingly and led the way once more.

The vixen attempted to clear her conscience by observing her surroundings, seeing several funeral urns lining the rooms they passed through. Gold coins and jewels were heaped around the funerary relics and she asked Fenris why he was not taking any of it. There was a veritable fortune at their feet.

"I will not steal from the honored dead. Many do not carry this sentiment but I believe that it is an ill deed to take from them, no matter what they have become in respect to who they had been. However...I do not feel the same for their masters."

She could understand his point of view and in respect of it, left the treasure alone.

Behind his mask, Fenris smiled appreciatively. He could tell that the vixen had been tempted to partake of the unguarded wealth before them, and it took an exceptional amount of character to refrain from thieving such welcoming loot. He decided to do something for her upon their return. Despite several setbacks, she was doing well for her first quest and he believed that she deserved something for her efforts and he occupied his mind with thoughts on what to do.

Farther into the tomb, they encountered several packs of draugr, but with Krystal no longer distracted, they dealt with them without too much difficulty. Her abilities with her staff were remarkable, both magical and physical. It seemed that every time he saw her fight, she improved. Soon, she would have no need of his guidance.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, they reached the final level of the crypt, guarded by a massive iron door warded with ancient glyphs and symbols depicting fearsome dragons lording over a perfectly rendered map of Skyrim.

Both Krystal and Fenris were tired, having slogged through the draugr infested ruin. This close to the end, the whispering voices that once murmured in their ears had gained volume, now clearly audible chants, their purpose unknown.

Krystal felt a fierce foreboding as she gazed at the towering iron gateway, knowing in her heart that something dangerous lay locked away on the other side. By now, she had been completely severed from her extrasensory abilities, only seeking to make her worry more and she wished that they could leave.

Fenris had long ago banished the thought that this was an ordinary burrow and was heavily concerned that this was a place unfit for his pupil. He was tempted to send her away but knew that it would be just as dangerous to have her head back alone.

Yet what they desired most likely lay beyond this entrance and they could not leave without ensuring the safety of the mining town's residents.

Swallowing their discomfort, Krystal and Fenris exchanged wordless glances and pushed the massive doors open...

...revealing a monolithic mausoleum, a causeway of deep obsidian steps carrying themselves up an extensive incline that tapered off with a large platform. The steps were flanked with rows of standing sarcophagi and the platform held a large ornate alter. A pair of thrones sat on either side of it and reclining upon them were two draugr, covered head to toe in thick black plate and intimidating horned helms. These were unlike the ones they had faced before, hulking beasts with bulky shields and elegant blades.

At the sound of the doors ponderously groaning open, pale blue light exploded from their sockets and the two cumbersomely rose from the thrones with the creak of dry bones.

Fenris knew what they faced, and under his mask, blood drained from his features.

"Deathlords..."

As they gradually marched down the steps, the draugr spoke in synchronous, their ethereal voices slithering through the crypt's dead air.

 ** _"Mu kriist ko bildrun do un drogro qoth, rodraan wah kos gronzul."_**

Fenris unsheathed his greatsword and pushed Krystal back.

"Go...NOW!"

The vixen was overwhelmed by the rapid escalation of events.

"W-Wha...but..."

"Leave now!" Fenris barked, pushing her back to the doors as he backpedaled.

Meanwhile the deathlords maintained their lumbering advance.

"This fight is beyond your current experience and there is little time to debate! Now do as I say!" Fenris sounded frantic as he tried to get the vixen to leave, slowly dragging her away from the approaching undead warriors.

"What about you?" Krystal asked fearfully, staff dragging against the ground. She did not like the waiver to his voice, never before had he sounded as troubled as he did at that moment.

"I'll be fine, now go!" He urged, turning to face the draugr as they arrived at the bottom of the steps.

 ** _"Gronzul los dinok..."_**

"Krystal, run!" Fenris shouted out as he stepped in front of her.

 ** _"Yol Tor Shul"_**

Without warning, pillars of flames erupted from the draugr's mouths, the heat so intense that the vixen's breathe was snatched from her lungs as the fire consumed it all.

Krystal felt a heavy weight force itself against her chest and she was thrown backwards out of the room, watching in horror as Fenris vanished inside the torrid inferno. There was no doubt in her mind at that moment that he was dead, incinerated by the unforgiving fire.

But, when the gout of flames died, he was still standing, albeit with a tattered cloak and singed armor.

 _'How...how is that possible?'_ By rights the fire should have killed him.

Fenris glanced over his shoulder, his mask cracked and his hood in blackened ruins. One of his eyes had been made visibl with the upper right portion of his helm shattered, the golden iris staring into her soul.

"RUN!"

The vixen bolted without hesitation, the sounds of combat tearing at her heels. The distinct clash of steel rang through the once silent tomb, accompanied by the deafening shouts of the draugr deathlords.

As soon as the sounds of battle lessened to a dull roar, she collapsed against a wall, chest heaving in exertion. Her ears were curved in the direction she had run from, still able to hear the fight as it developed.

 _'Oh, what do I do?'_ The vixen was struck with uncertainty. Fenris had explicitly ordered her to leave. And deep down, she was glad he did. Those...things frightened her. She had trembled just at the sight of them.

But...

She abandoned Fenris, leaving him to confront those monsters alone. Right now, he was fighting for his life, while she ran away with her tail tucked between her legs.

Krystal held back a self-deprecating scoff. _'What a guardian I would have turned out to be...running away at the first sigh of real danger'_

As the vixen brooded over her cowardice, her companion's earlier advice dashed through her mind like a burst of condemning fire.

 _In combat a warrior needs to be able to trust their companion without hesitation. They need to know that they can rely on you to be there when they need you._

 _I_ _ **trust**_ _you Krystal..._

 _Do you trust_ _ **me**_ _...?_

Fenris had held up to his side of the bargain, putting her life above his own. It was time she did the same, orders be damned.

Krystal leaned heavily against the stone wall and looked up towards the ceiling, drawing in a deep breath and calming her shot nerves as she muttered quietly to herself.

"I will _not_ leave him."

Her decision made, Krystal rushed back to the sounds of battle.

But she was frozen stiff as a thunderous roar traveled down the hall she had been heading towards.

 _'Spirits...what was that?!'_

* * *

Fenris flew backwards, cracking one of the many sarcophagi lining the walls, thrown back by a deathlord's shout. He felt something give in his chest and he coughed in pain. Refusing to give in, he picked himself up off the ground and retrieved his fallen greatsword, charging forwards with a growl.

His massive weapon cleaved the air as he brought it crashing down into one of the draugr's shields. The slab of ebony crumpled under the weighty blow and the undead creature let the now useless object clatter to the floor, instead choosing to wield its longsword in both gauntlets.

With a snarl, it lashed the deadly blade towards its opponent and Fenris ducked under the strike, unable to hit back with his greatsword at such a close range. In its place he yanked a dagger from his bandolier and plunged it into the draugr's side, the thin metaled blade scraping against its thick armor before finding a chink in plates under the armpit, lodging home.

A gout of black liquid spewed from the wound and the deathlord planted its boot on his chest and forced Fenris away.

As he recoiled from the kick, he felt something slam into his shoulder and lurched further back, having been struck by the sword of the deathlord's accomplice. Thankfully, his nightingale armor was strong enough to absorb the blow.

Peering through his broken mask, Fenris eyes both of his enemies and took several steps back, using the time to regroup and plan.

These were a caliber above deathlords he had fought in the past, faster and more coordinated. If things continued as they did, he would not survive for very long.

He could always use his trump card, but the thought of what might come afterwards filled him with indecision. He was in complete control of his...ability, more so than the others, but it was not something he used on a whim. It always affected his mood and not only that, he had great respect for his gift and would not use it unless it was a situation most dire, as this was turning out to be.

Fenris could feel the bestial blood surging hotly through his veins, fervently waiting to be released, offering a simple way to deal with this problem.

A deep voice growled forcefully in the back of his skull.

 ** _'RELEASE ME FROM THIS MENTAL PRISON. I CRAVE THE TASTE OF BLOOD, THE COPPERY TANG RUNNING ACROSS MY TONGUE, THE SAVOR OF FLESH ON MY FANGS. GIVE IT TO ME!'_**

As the familiar voice bellowed in his skull, Fenris felt his muscles fill with greater strength than any normal man could ever hope to gain. The accustomed promise of feral power became tantalizingly addicting, no longer to be denied.

 ** _'LET ME IN. LET. ME. FEAST.'_**

With a snarl, Fenris fell to his knees, weapon tumbling from his numb hand as he clawed at the floor, newly emerging razor-sharp claws digging deep into the stone.

Confused, the pair of draugr deathlords took a step back, losing a small amount of confidence.

This was not something they had seen before.

Fenris tore his gaze off the ground and glared up at the undead creatures, his one visible eye shining brigh with the color of molten gold, the pupil dilating erratically and black hairs beginning to rupture through the visible skin. Shaking his head jerkily, he slammed a gauntlet into the ground and it cratered around his swollen fist.

The sound of breaking bones filled the room and Fenris howled in pain, his body attempting to shift into unnatural configurations to suit its sudden metamorphosis. His physique began to expand rapidly as he gained an unbelievable amount of muscle mass in an incredibly short amount of time, his armor threatening to split open at the seams under the mounting pressure.

The pitch of his pained howls steadily plummeted several tenors until a deep roar reverberated through the mausoleum and the draugr were stricken from their shock.

The deathlord that had lost its shield stepped up, ready to put down its handicapped foe.

Yet, as it raised its blade into the air, a massive paw wrapped around its throat and ripped it off its feet.

The draugr gazed up at its foe and for the first time in its existence...felt fear.

* * *

After recovering from the horrifying howl, she dashed back to the crypt where Fenris was and rushed through the doors...almost becoming sick at what she saw.

It was...difficult to see what was left of the draugr.

Scattered bits of bloodied armor lay strewn about the expanse amidst broken weapons. Pieces of flesh decorated most of the walls and somehow managed to get on the vaulted ceiling, black blood dripping from up above.

All that was left was a single withered arm draped over a broken sarcophagus, its hand clutched tightly together in a death grip, grasping the hilt of a broken sword.

The room itself was absolutely destroyed, everything all the way up to the alter lay in ruins.

She finally spotted Fenris, sprawled out underneath it, covered in black fluids.

The vixen quickly made her way to his side, the man rising as she neared.

"Are you alright? W-What happened here?" She asked in awe.

Fenris stood up, his appearance unkempt, armor ragged and mask broken. He turned to her, what was left of his fragmented helm clinging to his face.

"Do not question me about what has transpired. I will not answer."

Once more, he was using that tone of voice that worried her, not the soft and kind one she liked. This was harder, more serious. Krystal did not like this version of him. This time she would not let it go.

As her thin canine lips moved to speak, he cut her off.

"Please...do not make me talk."

The sheer stressed anxiety in his voice brought her to silence. Whatever it was, he really did not wish to talk about it. With a sigh she buried her questions, one day she would get him to answer all these things he kept locked away.

Seeing her compliant nod, Fenris tiredly took off his ruined mask. "Let's just get the piece and leave."

His voice had lost all of its passion now, reminding her off the night before when he had slipped into the room. He had been in much a similar state.

The vixen watched closely as he walked to the alter and retrieved a large piece of metal, comparable in appearance to an axe's blade.

 _'What are you hiding from me, Fenris?'_

He stepped towards her and held out the broken blade.

"I believe this is yours to hold on to."

He smiled at her, but it was a weak thing and did a poor job of convincing her he was fine.

Still, she smiled back and accepted his meager gesture, pocketing the relic in her satchel.

"Now, let's get out of this accursed place."

The journey out was not as upbeat as it had been coming in. Whatever it was that happened dampened Fenris' mood considerably. This saddened Krystal as she had been having a pleasant time with him earlier. It was definitely preferred to this uncomfortable silence.

Subdued, she mechanically followed after him, deep in her own thoughts.

If she had not been such a coward in the first place, she would have been there.

Maybe then she would know what was happening with her friend.

Krystal was concerned about him. She did not like this change he was exhibiting. It was unlike the man she had gotten to know over the past few days.

"You did well today, Krystal. I would be proud to patron your official acceptance into the companions."

Hearing his words and the beginning of the familiar and welcome tone in his voice made her smile.

"Thank you, I could not have done any of this without you, I will always be in your debt."

It was true, she could not have hoped to get nearly as far as she did without his assistance.

Fenris shook his head.

"Nonsense, I merely helped, you did this for yourself."

Shortly, they degenerated into bickering on whom was more thankful for what and upon realizing it, Krystal giggled, which in turn made Fenris laugh.

Still laughing, they exited the mine and stepped outside.

The fresh breeze and cheery sunlight revitalized the vixen and she sighed in contentment, glad that they were finally rid of that horrible business. The miners had been avenged and no more draugr from this burrow would claim lives. It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.

The sense of accomplishment she received upon realizing this filled her with a surprising amount of elation. She could feel had done real tangible good today, something she never felt back home. All the problems for the guardians were mostly solving disputes and petty crime since there had not been a major war in centuries.

Here, in this world, she was making a real difference.

And she probably would not have been able to do this without Fenris.

Smiling, she turned to tell him how much she appreciated his help when she took in his glowering expression.

Concerned, she turned to see what he was looking at and saw five figures standing a short distance from the mines entrance. All five were dressed in a mix of leather and plate armor and wielding swords that reflected the sun's light with a bright silver sheen.

The lead one, a short statured male elf of some kind, stepped forwards.

"Your time has come to an end...dog."

Krystal frowned.

 _'Did he just call me a dog?'_


End file.
